


Where Is The Princess?

by DreamsAndDaytime



Series: Hurt Cass Series [9]
Category: Rapunzel's Tangled Adventure (Cartoon), Tangled (2010)
Genre: Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, Broken Bones, Depression, Family, Fluff and Angst, Friendship, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, Pain, Panic Attacks, Torture, Violence
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-12
Updated: 2020-12-04
Packaged: 2021-03-07 17:00:09
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 10
Words: 42,722
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26971018
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DreamsAndDaytime/pseuds/DreamsAndDaytime
Summary: Cassandra gets back earlier from their trip but Corona isn't the same like they had left it. Andrew is back and has taken over the kingdom. What happens when he captures his old flame and tortures her in exchange for answers?
Relationships: Cassandra & Rapunzel (Disney: Tangled)
Series: Hurt Cass Series [9]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1842934
Comments: 68
Kudos: 65





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This is a pretty violent story so if you can't handle that, please don't read! You can read the tags to know what's in store. Only violence, no sexual content. Otherwise, enjoy! Set during the start of season 2.

"He doesn't look so good."

"Were his eyes always this yellow?"

"Maybe it's time to dig a hole in the ground and leave it be."

The entire group turned to Shorty with shock and astonishment inscribed on their faces. The old man simply shrugged before saying, "what? I found these truffles in the woods. I have to keep them somewhere!"

Hookfoot moaned pathetically on his bed in the camper. He had started to look green by the end of the day and couldn't keep his lunch down. The man was very sick and was in need of medical attention as soon as possible. The problem was that they were currently in the middle of nowhere. There weren't any stores nearby.

Rapunzel sighed. "It doesn't look like Hookfoot is going to be okay any time soon. This looks like a serious case of the _Hupple Drips_."

Lance blinked at her in confusion. "The what now?"

"The Hupple Drips. Haven't you ever heard of it?" While everyone shook their heads, Rapunzel realised that she knew something the others didn’t. She wished she could be that person more often because it felt good. "I've had some medical books in the tower that i read sometimes. Mother probably gave them to me so i might be more afraid of the world. I forgot most of its content but i do remember reading about this disease. The Hupple Drip is a small bacteria found on certain plants in the forest. They're not harmful by touch but swallowing gives you a fever and the symptoms won't disappear until an antidote is given."

"I thought they were mint," Hookfoot slurred out quietly.

"Where are we even going to get medicine out here?" Eugene questioned. "We're surrounded by trees and i doubt they'll have great medicine back in Vardaros."

"I bet Corona does."

Rapunzel snapped her gaze to Cassandra. "You're right. Corona does have the best medical help Hookfoot could get right now but it's such a long trip back home. Are we even gonna make it before he-"

The group stared down at their sick friend with worry. They all knew what was coming - if Hookfoot didn't get the antidote soon, he would die. They needed to come up with a solution and fast.

Cassandra was the first to break the silence. "I'll go."

"What? Go where?" Rapunzel asked.

"Corona. I'm the best rider out of all of us. I'll take Fidella and get home as fast as i can. If i leave now, i'll be able to make it back within a week."

"But it's such a long trip."

"It would be even longer if we'd take the camper. Trust me, Raps. This is the best solution for Hookfoot."

Their eyes drifted back to the whimpering man on the mattress. He was a sore sight to behold. Rapunzel grimaced in pity when she looked at him. "Alright. I hate to let you go out there all by yourself but we don't have a choice. I just want you to take Max instead. He's the fastest horse we know."

Cassandra nodded. Everyone left the camper and prepared food and water for the long journey. Cassandra would need to travel light if she wanted to ride that entire end without stopping. Maximus jumped up as soon as Rapunzel explained the plan to him. They filled his satchel and stored money inside for the medicine.

"It'll be fine, Raps," Cassandra said when she climbed on the back of the horse. "Hookfoot will be his old stinking self in no time. You'll see."

The blonde smiled, albeit a bit unsure. "Of course. Stay safe out there."

"Always," she answered before she drove off and disappeared into the night.

***

Cassandra couldn't help but smile when she arrived in Corona. It had been some time since they left and she had missed the city. It would be nice to visit her father but there was no time. She had been riding for hours on end without a break and she needed to get Hookfoot his medicine as soon as possible.

The streets of Corona were abandoned when she made her way through town. Cassandra frowned, a strange feeling washing over her. It was quiet. Too quiet for such a joyful town. "Where is everybody?" She asked out loud. Maximus responded with an equally confused hinnik.

They continued to walk till they arrived at the pharmacist. Cassandra opened the door and tapped the bell on the counter. It took a moment for anyone to show up. A little girl with pigtails popped her head up behind the counter. "Hello! Can i help you?"

Cassandra stared down at her in confusion. "Where are your parents?"

The girl shrugged. "Digging up crystals in the mine. I'm here to help the customers."

She didn't understand but Cassandra wasn't about to ask anymore questions. The woman asked for the antidote and paid without wasting more time. It was strange to watch the child grasp for a bottle on one of the shelves and store the money away. This wasn't a place for children. Cassandra left feeling more confused than before she entered the store.

"There you go, Max," she said while she stored the antidote inside his bag. "Let's head back to Rapunzel and the others."

"You're not going anywhere."

A couple of strangers stepped into the clearing. There were five of them, all wearing matching smirks that made the hair in her neck stand on end. She grasped the handle of her sword and took a step back. This didn't mean much good. "Who are you?"

A woman with a long ponytail scoffed at her. "Let's talk when we get you inside the castle."

Her eyes widened in alarm. "I'm not going anywhere with you."

That had been the wrong answer. Something changed in the stranger's eyes. They charged at her with their weapons. Cassandra pulled her own from its satchel and blocked the first blow that was coming at her. She was able to stand her ground for a while until more people charged at her. One of the men was able to grab a hold of her wrist, refraining her from using her sword. Maximus ran up to help her but the people threw ropes around his neck to limit his movement.

The situation looked hopeless. More strangers popped up from nearby allies and streets before helping their partners restraint Cassandra. Maximus broke himself free at the last second. He charged up to her but Cassandra shouted for him to stop. They were with too many. Her only hope now was for Maximus to return back to camp and get help.

"Bring the medicine to Rapunzel!" Maximus hesitated but she continued to shout. "NOW!"

Understanding flashed through his eyes. The steed ran off towards the forest. "Don't let him escape!" Someone yelled above the commotion however Maximus was too fast for any of them.

Cassandra watched his retreating form with relief. Now Rapunzel would get the antidote and watch Maximus return back without her. She will know right away that something is wrong and return for her. Cassandra was still struggling in their grasp but they held her tightly.

They guided her all the way up to the royal palace. Cassandra noted the lack of security wherever they walked. There weren't any guards stationed in front of the gates when they went through them and entered the palace. The halls of the castle were empty aside from a couple of rough looking people. Had they overthrown the kingdom when Rapunzel and the rest of them were absent?

They came to a halt in an empty room on the second floor. These were the quarters of the handmaidens. This room must have belonged to one of them but all the furniture had been removed. The strangers tied her down to a single chair and stepped back.

"I believe i can answer that."

Her eyes widened when Andrew walked through the door. He looked just as stupid as he had done a year ago. He used his foot to kick a second chair in front of her and took a seat. "That's what you were thinking, right? What happened to your beloved kingdom?"

"Piss off."

He chuckled. "You haven't changed, Cassie. And here i was; thinking i would give you a second chance with me."

She scoffed. "In your dreams, bonehead."

"That's what i figured," he answered, then clicked his tongue against the roof of his mouth. "Come on in, kid!"

Another person walked inside. Varian appeared in the room with two more strangers whom Cassandra guessed were Saporian as well. The thought angered her.

"Hello Cassandra," he said after he pulled his bandana from his chin. "I see you've already met my new friends."

"Varian? What are you doing with these lowlifes?"

"He decided to join the right side of history," Andrew spoke up for him. "Together we have managed to wipe the memories of the king and queen. It won't be long now before everyone in Corona loses their own and we are able to build a new kingdom!"

"That will never work."

He raised a perfectly trimmed eyebrow at her. "It may not if your blonde friend returns and spoils our plans. I can't let that happen. We have already sent search parties out there to find you guys but no one could be discovered. That is until you returned today. Varian told us all about your little adventure. You were with Rapunzel before you came here so here's what's going to happen; you're gonna tell me exactly where to find the princess or there will be consequences."

A small woman with pigtails laughed behind her hands. "I would do as he says if i were you. This could get painful."

"Painful?" Varian spoke up suddenly but no one paid him any interest.

Cassandra rolled her eyes. "You're even dumber than i thought if you think i'm gonna tell you anything."

Andrew loomed over her when he stood up. Before she knew what was going to happen, he shot a hand out and hit her right on the cheek. Pain blossomed on her skin, fueling the hatred within her.

"You said no one would get hurt!" Varian yelled above their laughter. Nobody looked interested in anything he had to say. With one snap of Andrew's fingers, Varian got forced outside so he would not interfere with their actions. Cassandra felt a bit sorry for him even after everything he had done.

Andrew towered over her once more. "I'm going to ask you again nicely; where is the princess?"

She answered by spitting in his face. A couple of his buddies chuckled at his surprise but they stopped after one warning glare. "So that's how it's going to be then? Fine. Clementine, guard the castle while i'm taking care of _Miss Frown_. You will be talking soon enough when i'm done with you."

The door shut to a close. Andrew was the only one left inside the room. He seated himself in front of her once again with a seriousness she had never seen on him before. "Third warning; where is the princess?"

Panic rose up inside of her but she kept her mouth shut. Cassandra will not be the one to betray Rapunzel, no matter how frightening the situation was going to be. If the girl arrived on her own, so be it. At least it wouldn't have been due to her failed willpower.

Andrew seemed to understand as well. He punched a fist in her face, pulling a pained groan out of her. There would definitely be a bruise underneath her eye tomorrow. "Where is the princess?"

“Screw you.”

He pulled the right glove from her hand and took a hold of one finger. It broke with a snap. Cassandra screamed in pain. The sound echoed against the walls of her prison however Andrew didn't seem to care. "Where is the princess?"

Fear shot through her veins. It dawned on her that he wasn't going to stop until he got what he wanted but she didn't have a choice. He was a fool if he thought she would ever betray her best friend.

A second finger snapped followed by another scream. The raven grit her teeth as she desperately tried to maintain a neutral expression. Andrew grasped a hold of her hair and tilted her face towards him with a glare. "Where is the princess?"

"F-fuck you."

"Stupid Cassandra." His hand took a hold of a third finger. She eyed it in dreaded anticipation. "When will you ever learn?"

A third scream ripped from her throat but no one came inside to help her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My apologies for any typos! My native language isn't English.


	2. Chapter 2

It was quiet around the campsite. The only sound they could hear was Rapunzel's foot that persisted to tap the ground in a steady rhythm and the crackling of the fire. It had been five days since Cassandra had left. Rapunzel was not going to relax until her friend was back safe and sound. Waiting was driving her insane.

"Blondie, Cass hasn't been gone for that long. Why don't you try to relax and eat something?"

She shook her head at her boyfriend. "I can't. Hookfoot is getting sicker and my best friend is out there somewhere all by herself."

Eugene seated himself beside her in the grass. The fire cast a warm glow on his cheek, making his features even more handsome. "You're still talking about Cassandra, right? The toughest, most crazy person we know? If there is someone who knows how to take care of themselves, it would be her."

She couldn't help but nod. He always knew what to say when she was feeling anxious. "I know,” she replied and tucked her feet beneath her dress. “Do you think she's fine?"

"Of course she is. Cassandra is going to barge in here like a mad woman, give us the antidote and act all mature as if she wasn't tired after such a long journey. You'll see."

Rapunzel chuckled and gave him a hug. She was so lucky to have him in her life.

They sat around the fire for a while longer until Lance noticed something in the distance. "It looks like Cassandra is back."

Rapunzel followed his gaze towards the horizon. There was indeed a white speck in the distance, racing closer to them at a fenomenal speed. "Already? I thought she said she would be back in a week."

Eugene fixed his eyes on Maximus with suspicion. There was a bad feeling growing in the pit of his stomach. It was only when the horse neared the campside that his eyes widened in alarm. "Cassandra isn't with him!"

"What!" Rapunzel was having trouble to stay calm and focused. She ran up to Maximus in the field and held him by his head. The steed looked exhausted. He was breathing heavy and his legs were trembling. It looked like he had run the entire end without stopping. "Max! Where is Cassandra? What happened?"

The horse hinniked loudly, his hooves stomping patterns in the dirt. Pascal jumped onto his back and squeaked something to his friend. When Maximus replied, the chameleon crawled into his satchel and held a vile up in the air - the antidote for Hookfoot. Everyone held their breath.

Rapunzel took the medicine over from Pascal with a frown. "Something bad happened to Cassandra after she bought the medicine. We need to go back to Corona as soon as possible!"

She was already halfway seated on Max' back when Eugene stopped her. "You can't head over there all by yourself. If someone managed to hurt Cassandra of all people then we're going to need a plan. I suggest we give Hookfoot the medicine and head back with the camper. Maximus ran all the way up here without a break. He's in no shape to run any further."

Eugene was right again that evening. This situation frustrated her to no end. If only she was with her best friend. What could have happened? Corona was such a safe place and Cassandra knew the city inside and out. So far for trying to think positive.

"Alright," she said at last. "Let's help Hookfoot first."

They turned around and headed for the camper. Rapunzel looked back over her shoulder and regarded the darkened field for the last time before focusing herself on the task at hand. If she found the person who had managed to hurt Cassandra, Rapunzel would make sure they regretted that decision for the rest of their life.

***

"Still not going to answer?"

Cassandra heaved above the tub, water dripping from her chin. She had seized her insults some time ago in the hope that Andrew might grow tired of wounding her. Maybe she was a fool to believe a scenario like that, especially when it came to this man.

"Guys," he said to the Saporians behind her. They pushed her head back into the freezing water.

Her body spasmed in their grasp but they didn't release her. The experience of suffocation became unbearable. Water crept into her nose and throat, burning her airways and inflicting her to choke. The cold made the whole thing twice as difficult. Her skull hurt and her skin blossomed with pain. It seemed to take an eternity before they hauled her up.

"And?" Andrew asked innocently.

Cassandra couldn't answer even if she wanted to. Water hit the floor while she coughed and heaved in lungfuls of air. Andrew wasn't going to give her a long break. When she remained silent for the third time, he motioned for his men to push her down. They did without batting an eye.

The process continued until Cassandra nearly fainted from the lack of oxygen. Her whole body was trembling. They let her fall to the floor in a pathetic heap, water creating a stain around her head.

Andrew knelt down by her side. "Trust me, Cassandra, it's way easier if you would just tell me where your friend is. I don't want to do this either but you leave me no choice so what's it going to be?"

Cassandra narrowed her eyes up at him. "I-i will never help you."

He seemed to have anticipated her answer. "We'll see how you feel after tonight."

The Saporians picked her up from the floor and bound her to the chair. They left the tub in the corner of the room before closing the door behind them. Cassandra was all alone inside the dark cell. A chill ran down her spine. She was so cold. Her hair was still dripping wet. The water stained her sweater, cold droplets rolling down her back underneath her shirt. Her mind pictured a fire in front of her and a longing grew inside the pit of her stomach. A blanket would be nice too, she thought, but hoping for such luxuries was foolish. Andrew wanted her to suffer after all.

The moonlight peered through the window and cast a soft glow on the floor. Cassandra scanned her surroundings. Even if she hadn't been stuck to a chair, it would still be impossible to climb down from the window. Not only was her hand broken, the distance from here to the ground was simply too big. Besides, she wasn’t sure if she would have the strength. Cassandra had barely slept or eaten anything since leaving Rapunzel. Her body was worn-out, especially after the torment Andrew put her through.

That didn't mean she was going to give up so easily. Cassandra wiggled her shoes inside her bonds. When she realised how stuck they were, she tried her left hand and felt her hope diminish. They had secured her pretty well. There was no way she was going to get out of here on her own. Even jumping in place was impossible - the chair she was seated on looked quite heavy. It would be difficult to get herself moving.

She glanced towards her right hand and grimaced. The idea alone to try and bend her broken fingers made her shiver. The throbbing pain inside them was awful, making her head spin and her muscles tight. She thought about sleep and how nice it would be to escape the pain for a few hours but it kept her awake.

_Rapunzel._

Cassandra couldn't help but smirk when she thought of her best friend. Andrew wasn't going to get answers from her. If he was smart, he knew so as well. Luckily he wasn't and she could continue to fool him. Rapunzel would be coming back on her own and take her kingdom back. It wouldn't be long now till Maximus reached camp and alerted the group. They knew the secret tunnels and Rapunzel's hair bode a lot of help.

But the Saporians had seen Maximus flee. Wouldn't they be suspicious and know Rapunzel was coming back for her? Andrew das dumb but even he was able to put two and two together. That's what made her feel anxious. Maybe he didn't want to wait for the princess because Andrew needed to find her first so he could have the upper hand. That means he knows her to be unstoppable once she reaches Corona.

_Jerk._

The idea that Andrew knows Rapunzel to be a threat big enough to put a stop to his mission made her chuckle. It must mean that whatever plan the Saporians had concocted to erase everyone's memory wasn't yet completed. He must be desperate to find her, enough for him to torture Cassandra. What an idiot.

Cassandra was still deep in thought an hour later when the door opened. For a moment she feared Andrew had returned to bring her more pain but it was someone else entirely - Varian walked up to her with a tray of bread and water. She should be mad at him. He had attacked Rapunzel and herself months ago and happened to work for the enemy now but… She found herself unable to. Cassandra was _exhausted_. A friendly face was more than welcome.

"I can't stay long. The Saporians change shifts every two hours so i only have a little while before they come back but i brought you something to eat," he mumbled after he shut the door.

Her stomach growled when she saw the food. It had been too long since she had her last dinner. Varian knelt down in front of her and gave her an awkward smile, the way he used to before this fiasco."I can't untie you because of…" he glanced toward the door. "You know… but i can feed you if you like."

She nodded. The boy broke a piece of bread and placed it inside her awaiting mouth. "Thanks," she mumbled around the bite.

Varian shrugged. "It's the least i could do."

He continued to feed her in silence until the food was gone. "Varian," she said after she swallowed her last bite. "You need to do something."

He nervously fiddled with the empty water bottle. "I can't."

"Please."

"Cass, i can't. If they find out i helped you, i'm dead! Besides, i need this plan to work."

“Why?”

A bitter look flashed through his eyes. “I have my reasons.”

She didn't try to reason with him. It appeared like he wasn’t going to talk. Rapunzel was way better at giving pep talks anyway. She knew that he was going through something emotional right now, she just couldn't figure out what made him snap so bad that made him want to follow Andrew but Cassandra found herself uncaring. It was one thing to have him feed her but another entirely for him to talk about his problems. He wasn't the one currently chained to a stiff chair after hours of torture.

Still, it would be great if he changed his mind one day and helped her escape, maybe even ruin Andrew’s plans from within. It appeared like she needed to keep Varian close. If he came down here against orders and cared enough to feed her, perhaps he wasn't lost after all. Rapunzel would probably give him a second chance as well.

Cassandra realised she would need to refrain herself from pushing him into helping. It was nice of him to come down here and bring her a meal. If she was about to ask him questions every time he did, maybe he wasn't going to come anymore. This called for the friendly approach - something Cassandra wasn't great at but she would do whatever needed to help Rapunzel. It was her job to protect the princess anyway.

Varian slipped a painkiller inside her mouth. It wasn't like the drugs made the pain disappear but they helped numb the area enough for her to breath again.

"I'll come back tomorrow," he said after he had pushed himself to his feet.

Hope blossomed inside her heart. "Thank you."

He gave her a nod, accompanied by that same shy smile from earlier, before closing the door behind him. Cassandra was left alone inside the cold room once more. She managed to sleep after some time. The food and painkillers had definitely worked their magic on her body and strengthened her. When she woke up, the sun was already shining through the window. She sank into the chair and enjoyed the warmth.

Then the door opened and her body tensed up. "Rise and shine, Cassie," Andrew sang when he walked into the room. He was alone this time. Somehow that fact made her even more nervous. "It's time for your interrogation."

She rolled her eyes upon seeing him. Cassandra tried to sit up properly, to prove to him that she wouldn't be put down that easily, but her muscles were so stiff. There was an ache inside her body from sitting in the same position for so long and a sharp pain went down her neck - the result of sleeping with her head forward.

She must be a pathetic sight for he laughed at her. "I brought one of Varian's new toys with me today to loosen your lips. Let's see what it can do."

He was holding a metal object, something she had never seen before. It looked a lot like a flask but with buttons on the side. Cassandra grimaced but looked away from him. _For Rapunzel,_ she thought. She just needed to hold on long enough until the girl returned.

"I'm going to ask you again - where is the princess?"

Much like yesterday, only silence met his words. Andrew brushed a hand over his mysterious weapon sporting a bored expression. "That's a shame. Have a taste of this then."

A horrible sensation traveled through her body after he placed the tip of Varian’s invention against her neck. It appears small in size but the pain it sent off was worse than she had anticipated. Lightning shot through her veins, causing her muscles to tighten and her heart beat rapidly. Cassandra couldn’t move. She was frozen on her seat the entire time while she convulsed. Everything inside of her was lit aflame. The pain didn’t cease until Andrew released her.

Cassandra slumped forward in her chair, her hair obscuring him from view. What just happened? She had never heard or experienced something like this before. Her heart was still beating wild and her muscles were sore. There was a notable tingling beneath her skin and her limbs were spasming lightly inside their bond. Varian was more dangerous than she remembered if he was able to invent something like this.

She had been so tired up until this point.

"So that's what it does." The Saporian knelt down in front of her. "Where is the princess?"

The only sound that left her was her labored breathing. He sighed and placed the device back on her skin. Electricity coursed through her, pain sprouting beneath her skin. If this was what it felt like to have a thousand needles stuck in your body, it sucked. Cassandra grit her teeth and closed her eyes, a scream escaping her throat. The longing to give into his demands was growing stronger with each painful session. Cassandra reprimanded herself for thinking about giving up already. She had only been here two days. It would take longer for her to give in. The thought of betraying her friends was worse than the pain. She couldn’t give up now after the broken fingers and the humiliation he put her through.

_Bastard._

Cassandra fainted after the fifth time. She woke up with a start after Andrew slapped a hand across her cheek. He looked angrier than before she lost consciousness. “Tell me where the princess is!” He yelled in her face. A hand shot out and grasped her by her neck, covering the burn marks left from Varian’s weapon. She cried out in pain from the touch.

"J-just stop."

That seemed to catch his attention. "What? Is Cassie getting second thoughts? It doesn't have to be like this. If you would just tell me where the princess is, this will all be over."

His words brought her back to reality. Cassandra snarled up at him but remained silent. Andrew appeared like he was about to explode. “Dammit, woman! Just answer the question!”

The fingers around her neck tightened. He looked like a maniac and it surprised her how scared she was becoming of him. The door opened then. Cassandra sighed in relief when his hand left her throat.

Clementine poked her head inside saying, "lunch is ready, boss."

"Fine," he spat. "I will deal with you later."

Cassandra slumped forward again in her chair after the two Saporians were gone. Her mind drifted back to the fear earlier when he had grasped her neck. The fact that she became scared of him made her feel bitter. He didn’t deserve that victory but the idea that she was completely out of control over her own body pumped anxiety through her chest. Cassandra had always been a fervent control freak, even on their journey. It was scary for her to trust Rapunzel blindly and put that control over in someone else’s hands. Not that she didn’t trust her best friend but the idea was enough to make her stomach sick.

Then again, there was still one thing she had power over which was her voice. Cassandra decided to hang onto that small hope for as long as need be.


	3. Chapter 3

The day had been long and painful for Cassandra. Andrew had tested his lightning invention out on her the whole afternoon. Her throat still hurt from her screams. Cassandra was still trembling just thinking back on it. It was a relief that he hadn’t touched her broken fingers. That would have made her cry for sure however the fear that he would was still present at the back of her mind. More broken bones was something she dreaded with all her heart.

The silence broke when someone entered the room. It was dark inside but she recognized Varian’s small frame and his soft footsteps. Cassandra was glad he had come. Her stomach was growling again and her throat was dry. Andrew hadn’t given her a proper meal today except for two slices of toast and one cup of water. She was still very hungry.

“I’m really sorry,” he whispered when he knelt down in front of her and scooped a bite into a spoon. It appeared like he had prepared chicken and cooked vegetables today. Cassandra swallowed the rising water inside her mouth while she eyed the food. “They just want me to make new weapons so i provide. I would never make them specifically for you.”

Even though he had once, Cassandra knew he was honest. Varian made mistakes but he appeared to be the same boy they had all befriended. “I know.”

A moan left her when the chicken hit her tongue. It was good, much better than the hard bread Andrew supplied for her. Cassandra closed her eyes and swallowed before coughs rocked her frame. Varian sat up in alarm. He was looking around, probably due to the fear someone would hear them.

“C-can i have some water?” She asked in a small voice.

“Of course!” He placed his flask against her lips and helped her drink. The water felt good sliding down her sore throat.

“Thanks.”

"I also brought cream for your wounds."

Cassandra nodded. Varian continued to feed her until she was finished. Afterwards, he picked up a white tube from the tray and pulled the gloves from his hands. He smeared some cream onto his fingers before reaching for her burned neck. She took a sharp intake of breath when he touched her. The cream was cold against her skin but soothing. She sighed in relief and he tensed up for a moment, fingers halting next to her skin, until she motioned for him to continue.

Cassandra noticed how tense he was and to be honest, she was a little uncomfortable as well, but allowed him to take care of her despite her unease. It wasn’t like he was going to harm her the way Andrew did. Still, she was feeling a bit odd. She had already lost control over her own body and now she needed assistance to eat as well. It was a little embarrassing but she wasn’t about to refuse the help.

“I wish i could do more,” he mumbled after he returned the empty bowl and the cream back to the tray.

“You can.”

He stared down at the floor with hesitation. “That’s not true.”

“Varian,” she started. Her voice was a bit unsteady. She hoped he wouldn’t notice. Maybe he would be more open to her today and talk. “You can help us save Corona.”

“What if i don’t want to save it?”

“I don’t believe that. You care about Rapunzel and the others. This isn’t right.”

That appeared to have been the wrong choice of words. His face morphed into a scowl while he stood up. “What’s not right is Rapunzel breaking her promise to me when she said she’d help me! What isn’t right is Old Corona getting flooded by black rocks while the king does nothing! You don’t get to talk to me about what’s right and what’s not.”

Her eyes widened from his outburst. Whatever was hiding beneath the surface of his emotions appeared to be a lot deeper than she had anticipated. “Rapunzel had no choice.”

More anger flooded his face. She cringed inwardly at herself. This was why Rapunzel did the talking! Cassandra wasn’t good with words, only brute force. It was a shame that she couldn’t use her hands right now. If she wanted his help, she might need to be more kind.

“A promise is a promise, Cassandra,” he snarled. “You have no idea what i’ve been through! My dad…” He swallowed thickly. “Nevermind.”

She wanted to say something about the events on Rapunzel’s birthday - how he had attacked everyone - but refrained herself from doing so. _Be nice,_ she thought. “Look, you’re not a bad person. I’m sure we can work this out.”

His eyes flashed red. “Too late.” He marched toward the door, his stride nearly mechanical. What had she done? Cassandra tried to call out to him but she couldn’t shout otherwise someone might hear her. Varian would never be allowed back in here if they caught him.

_If he comes back._

She slumped in her chair. Talking to Rapunzel came so easy to her. Why couldn’t she do the same for someone else? If only the princess were here. She would know how to handle a situation like this. Cassandra wished to be free and fight back but even if she was, the Saporians had taken all her weapons from her. The only ones around here were probably the swords on the armor statues downstairs and the daggers the Saporians wore on their belt.

A light went off inside her head. Cassandra’s eyes widened when an idea struck her. She hadn’t gone to the bathroom yet. There hadn’t been a need to since she hadn’t drank that much since her arrival in the palace. Maybe they would allow her to go if she asked someone. Hopefully they wouldn’t provide her a bowl to satisfy her needs but guide her toward the bathroom at the end of the hallway. If she reached the corridor, there was a chance to break out of here. She knew there to be a secret tunnel behind a tall vase. If she managed to overpower the guard and make a run for it before he recovered, she might make it. It was a very small possibility but one nonetheless.

The sky was already darkening. Even though Cassandra couldn't see or hear anything beyond the door, she knew from Varian that someone was standing guard outside. It was now or never. Andrew and the rest of the Saporians were probably asleep someplace.

Craning her neck, Cassandra called out to whoever was stationed on the hallway. A couple of seconds passed before the door opened. A bearded man with broad shoulders walked inside. It was the same guy who had pushed her head under water yesterday. Cassandra couldn't keep the bitterness from her face while she remembered the suffocation.

"What's your problem?" He barked. His voice was rather high, contradictory to his rugged appearance.

"I need to pee," she snapped back.

He looked uncomfortable which was a little weird for such a bulky man. Cassandra made sure he noticed the obvious roll of her eyes. "Well? Are you going to untie me or what?"

Her outburst made him snap out of his awkwardness. The Saporian moved toward her and pulled a dagger from his belt. Her eyes followed the knife for a split second before she snapped her gaze back to the floor. It didn't appear tough to steal the weapon from him. What made this difficult was the state of her body. Hopefully there was still enough strength left in her muscles to fight if need be.

Her hope was soon crushed after the man cut her restraints and told her to move. Cassandra attempted to sit up but everything hurt. Her arms and legs were very stiff and couldn't bend so easily. The Saporian showed zero patience and kicked the chair. She fell on her face with a groan.

"W-watch it, _Hercules_!"

He scowled at her but otherwise remained silent.

Cassandra took a deep breath before she pushed herself up, avoiding pressure on her right hand. Her muscles were very sore from spending her time seated on a chair for days. It took her a moment to get herself on her knees. She was about to stand when the man couldn't take it anymore. He picked her up by the waist and carried her over his shoulder.

Cassandra could feel her cheeks burn, anger and embarrassment visible on her face. She slammed a fist on his back but he didn't budge. "Hey! Put me down, you jerk!"

"Shut up, punk."

"What did you just call me?"

The man sighed, seemingly not in the mood for her antics. "I called you punk, punk."

Cassandra growled but she swallowed her next insult. It had been well to treat him rough earlier. She might not know how to bring people comfort but trash-talk was her forté. Now that he was helping her, she wasn't about to ruin her chances and make him really mad.

The bathroom arose into view. He placed her back on her feet before roughly opening the door. Her brow furrowed when she took a step. Her legs were weak but she was able to walk after a few tries. The raven closed the door behind her and glanced around. If there was something in here that resembled a weapon, she could win this round. Cassandra went to work and opened every drawer, ensuring she didn’t make a whole lot of noise.

A jar of toothpaste fell from the sink. She winced when the man outside spoke up through the door, “what are you doing in there?”

“Ehm… just brushing my teeth! My breath smells really bad.”

He growled something unintelligible, probably embarrassed again. Cassandra felt good to have him suffer just like he made her even if her ways were not harmful at all. She would take every ounce of control she could get.

To her frustration, Cassandra failed to discover anything useful. She would need to go for her previous plan. After brushing her teeth for real and flushing the toilet with water from the bucket next to the sink, the woman called out to her guard saying, "i have a problem! Could you help me?"

There was a grunt behind the door. Cassandra slid into a corner of the room before the Saporian walked inside. She was hidden behind the door, her heart beating wild. When he turned around, Cassandra used her good hand to snatch the dagger from his belt and held it out to his face.

"Don't move or i'll stab you!"

He looked shocked at the action, his eyes wide and startled. The weapon trembled a little in her hand but she held herself firm. It was important now that she didn't show any weakness even though she felt like she might sink through her knees at any moment.

When he didn't speak up, she continued, "you're gonna step back and let me leave."

The guard obliged and allowed Cassandra to sneak past him, his hands up in the air. She continued to hold the weapon up to him until the door closed. The tip of the knife slid inside the door handle before she stepped back.

The room seemed to spin at the adrenaline coursing through her. Cassandra didn't hesitate before dashing toward the vase at the end of the hallway. Her legs were a bit wobbly but she pushed through. Behind her, she could hear the Saporian slam his fists on the door and shout for his buddies. Nerves rocked through her. Maybe… Maybe there wasn't anyone around to hear him. Perhaps the bulky guy was left alone while the others slept like she had figured. Cassandra nodded to herself while she ran and wished for such a scenario. She had almost reached the corridor where the secret tunnel was. Freedom was almost-

Varian stepped around the corner. Cassandra's heart leapt into her throat when she saw him, her feet coming to an abrupt stop. There had been one person around here not so long ago. How could she have forgotten about his earlier visit?

The boy looked startled as well. His eyes were scanning her up and down, his brow rising. "Cass? How did you-"

"Varian! You need to let me leave."

He tightened the hold on his alchemy powered belt. "What? Are you crazy? I already told you i can't do that!" He glanced over his shoulder, his voice softening. "Go back to your cell and i won't alarm Andrew."

She couldn't believe what she was hearing. "What! He's hurting me and you're _still_ on his side?"

His eyes grew dark. It was with a low voice that he spoke up, "Cassandra, go back to your cell."

"No!"

"You leave me no choice," he answered. _"GUYS! THE PRISONER HAS ESCAPED!"_

Cassandra gasped. She made a move to run past him but he glued her shoes to the carpet with a pink bomb.

"Good work, Varian," a woman spoke up when she reached him. The boy shrugged lightly but didn't answer.

A couple more Saporians walked up to them and grasped Cassandra by the arms. A pained groan left her when they moved her right arm the wrong way while they hauled her from the chemical mess. Her plan had almost been successful if it hadn't been for Varian! She was feeling so angry.

Cassandra glared over her shoulder while they walked her back the other way. Varian's guilt ridden eyes disappeared from view the moment she stepped into her cell and the door shut behind her.

***

Rapunzel was slowly beginning to lose her mind. They had been traveling off road, avoiding the path the black rocks had carved into the earth given whoever had hurt Cassandra, happened to be waiting on them. Owl had volunteered to fly ahead in case he saw something of use but he had yet to return. Rapunzel’s anxiety grew with each missing individual. The idea of someone hurting her friends, made shivers travel down her spine. Wait until they meet her frying pan because she was not about to hold back this time.

The black rocks grew in number the closer they reached home. A single house next to the road had been pierced and there were large cracks visible in the front yard. It was a terrifying sight. Rapunzel was a little sad about the sudden halt during their journey. They were having such fun and there was an ache inside her chest to find a solution to this mess. When they find Cassandra alive and well, she was going to make sure no one got separated during their travels.

_If she found the woman._

Rapunzel tightened the hold on her sketchbook and looked aside. She had been adamant to sit next to Eugene while he drove the wagon in case she happened to spot Cassandra. Although Maximus was leading them back all the way to Corona, she couldn’t help but hope that she might see her friend somewhere along the road. It wouldn’t surprise her if her friend found a way out of whatever situation she fell into.

Drawing in her journal had been a fine distraction however after the ninth sketch of Cassandra, she was feeling too sad to continue. Her friends were trying to remain positive, especially after Hookfoot was feeling better, but Rapunzel… simply couldn’t. She had tried to be hopeful the first time and look at what had happened.

“It’s okay,” Eugene mumbled beside her. He rested a hand over hers, the other one holding the reins. The touch managed to drive the quiver from her fingers. Even when she was feeling awful, he still managed to ease her worries. “We’ll find her.”

She nodded but otherwise remained silent.

They traveled on, everyone’s worry tangible in the air. Rapunzel rested a cheek on her knees and stared out into the distance. Trees passed on by slowly. The scenery didn’t change for a long while until three specks appeared on the horizon. The princess squinted in the distance. Her heart leapt into her throat while she waited for her vision to clear. Golden suits and familiar faces registered in her mind. Rapunzel gasped and motioned for Eugene to stop the camper. He caught on to whatever she had been staring at and he let out an equally surprised gasp behind her.

“Captain!” She jumped from the wagon whilst the guards neared them. He was accompanied by Stan and Pete. The three of them halted in front of her, relief visible in their eyes. The other members of their group followed her exemple and stepped from the camper after hearing the commotion outside. “What’s going on? What are you doing here?”

The man looked down at her with a worry that almost frightened her. “Princess! You need to return to Corona immediately! A group of Saporians has taken over the kingdom and erased the memories of the king and queen.”

Her heart quickened when she heard the news. “What? How? When did this happen?”

“About a week ago,” he answered after the man jumped from his steed. “My men have been searching all over for you. It was only after Owl found us that we knew where to go.”

Cassandra’s bird settled on his arm. Even he looked worried. “Where’s Cassandra?” Captain asked suddenly. His eyes were scanning their surroundings for his daughter. The longer everyone remained silent induced him to raise his eyebrows.

“She’s not with us,” Eugene spoke up. Rapunzel was grateful he did because she was having a hard time swallowing beyond the lump in her throat. “She went back to Corona for medicine. We haven’t seen her since.”

Panic flashed within the Captain’s eyes but he steeled his emotions. “My men haven’t run into her. She must have missed them by a hair.”

“Do you know where she could be?” Lance cut into the conversation.

“She must have run into Andrew and his friends. I bet he is holding her captive somewhere inside the palace.”

“Andrew?” Rapunzel balled her fists at her sides, anger replacing the guilt she had been coping with. Everything made sense now. “He does not get to overtake Corona _and_ capture my best friend! Come on, guys, let’s head back. He hasn’t seen the last of us!”

"We can lead you into the city without getting caught," Captain answered. "Some of Andrew's people have already been looking for you and are now on the lookout in case you return."

Rapunzel took a step forward, her frown deepening. "Let's get our friend back."


	4. Chapter 4

Andrew's patience was wearing thin. It had been days since they had captured the Lady-In-Waiting and still they were nowhere near conquering Corona. Varian was still finishing his formula to erase everyone's memories and Rapunzel was nowhere to be found. If he wanted to win this fight, he needed to find the princess and lock her up before the royal guards did. They would overpower him in no time if she ordered them to capture himself and his friends.

He glanced down towards Cassandra. Her shoes were gone after they got stuck in Varian’s pink glue and he had removed her sweater to inflict more pain. There was blood leaking down the side of her face and numerous cuts stood out on her fair skin. It was a shame really. She was still so beautiful after everything. If she hadn't been such a pain in the ass, he might have actually liked her. Now she was just infuriating him. No matter what he did, she refused to talk but Andrew wasn't about to quit so easy. He had made enough people talk in the past.

The events from yesterday entered his mind once more. Kai had enlightened him about her little attempt to escape until Varian managed to stop her before she could flee. He had only obtained more fury for her. Who did she think she was dealing with? It would take a lot more for her to break free. He had eyes all over Corona.

Some part of him couldn’t help but marvel at the woman seated before him. It was quite impressive how she had managed to come up with a plan and actually got the whole lot in motion. It required a lot of brains and courage to act on such a scheme.

The whip came down on her skin once more. It was a small thing found on a wall inside the stables. It didn’t do much harm but was suitable to inflict enough pain for his liking. Cassandra grit her teeth and groaned low in her throat, pain evident on her features. There were a lot of bruises forming on her body however he found himself enjoying the spotted pattern. It was twisted even for him but he couldn't help it - something about hurting her made him feel empowered, like bringing down a giant.

It was exhilarating to have this much power over her after his arrest months ago. She would pay for his time in prison.

Thunder rumbled in the distance. Andrew glowered at her before landing another hit. Cassandra was shaking on her chair, her midnight curls obscuring her face from view. He didn't appreciate that so he grasped her hair and pulled her face toward him. "You're so stubborn. Just tell me where the princess is and i'll release you. I'll even throw in a bed if you like." He found himself speaking the truth. If she were to answer him honestly, Andrew would treat her with luxury. The realisation startled him and for a moment, he was left speechless. Cassandra was a remarkable woman, anyone could see that. If she were to work with him, Andrew was prone to look past her troublesome behaviour and treat her just.

It would certainly be amusing to watch the warrior commit treason.

She bared her teeth at him. "Never."

The whip met her cheek and left a red mark on her skin, blood trickling from the cut. There were tears in her eyes however she refused to let them fall. It was a pathetic sight, even for him. "Where is the princess?"

The raven remained silent. Andrew sighed and rolled his eyes up to the ceiling, the whip coming to rest against his shoulder. "Dumb girl," he mumbled while he circled her chair. "You're only torturing yourself."

Cassandra didn’t move a single muscle, her head resting forward. It didn’t appear like she was conscious if it wasn’t for her laboured breathing. Her attitude frustrated Andrew. He was fed up with her nonsense. Maybe she should spend a night outside in the cold: that might teach her but there was the chance she could become ill and he needed her alive and well. She was his only link to Rapunzel, otherwise it would be searching for a needle in a haystack.

Juniper opened the door then. "Boss, Varian is testing a couple of his inventions. I thought perhaps you wanted to join in and take a look."

He smirked. "Perfect. I'll deal with this one later." His foot met Cassandra’s calf, the kick pulling a pained yelp from her. He was already longing to return and witness her downfall. It was only a matter of time before she gave in and when that time came, Andrew would be there tall and proud.

The door clicked shut behind them, Cassandra’s rapid breathing the last sound to reach his ears.

***

Rain rattled against the window, reigning out the roaring thoughts inside her mind. She had been left alone in the empty room for hours. It was cold without her sweater. She didn’t know where the Saporians had stored the garment but she wished to have it back. There was something about her t-shirt that made her feel exposed. She didn’t often feel vulnerable in her shirt however because Andrew had the power to strip her bare, every piece of clothing was treasured - they were the only items she had left on her.

The cuts and bruises on her body were hidden beneath her clothes, another reason why she cherished them, but they were thrumming painfully in sync with her heartbeat. The blood had long since dried and caked against her temple, her hair a tangled mess on one side. Every wound left her feeling grimy. The unclean sensation stuck to her entire body, the pain worsening the experience.

 _Pain,_ she thought bitterly. Over and over again. Cassandra didn’t know how much longer she was able to endure the torture. Her heart longed to enlighten Andrew about Rapunzel’s location but… she couldn’t. It had become a mantra that she often repeated in her mind - _betrayal was worse than pain._ How would she ever look her friends in the eyes knowing what she had done? Her father raised a stronger woman than that.

The memory of the Captain made her heart clench. She longed to see him. Sometimes she imagined him bursting through the door and calling her name before his rough hands would untie her. She figured there was a reason for his absence. There hadn’t been any guards stationed anywhere inside Corona which made her believe that they were searching for Rapunzel as well - it was certainly something she would do.

Hopefully they would find the princess before Andrew’s men did.

Her mind wandered back to Rapunzel not for the first time. Moist filled her eyes and blurred the stone walls around her. She longed to see her friend. In the loneliness of the evening, Cassandra imagined the blonde in front of her, a kind smile on her features. She would probably embrace Cassandra and mutter sweet words that meant nothing to strangers but managed to light a fire within her. The fantasy was like a bandage over her tired soul.

Cassandra knew she should be tough and she _would,_ however her courage was slowly failing. A sob escaped her lips followed by a tear dripping from her chin and marking her filthy shirt. The rain drowned out her cries which she was grateful for. There was at least one good element about this depressing weather.

She had almost missed the sound of the door opening because of the noise. Her sobs seized straight away, fear building up inside of her at the prospect of Andrew striding in. It was comforting to watch Varian walk inside, a backpack clutched in one hand, until she remembered the day prior. He appeared almost afraid to get closer. _Good,_ she thought while a scowl covered her features. He should feel guilty after his betrayal. “H-hey… ehm… i brought you some spaghetti.”

She was hungry but not so much so that she was going to pipe up and welcome him with a smile. The time to play nice was over and he seemed to understand as well while his eyes were searching her face for anything beside hatred. “Look, i’m sorry,” he mumbled. He didn’t place himself in front of her like usual. Instead, Varian remained standing next to the wall, a hand anxiously fidgeting with the edge of his shirt. “I know i should have helped you but i-”

“What?” She snapped. Her tone was like ice whilst she spoke. “Can you tell me already why you’re doing this? Why you turned your back on the kingdom? I know you’re hurt but there’s no excuse for any of this! So tell me why you’re allowing Andrew to take over Corona or i… i’ll…” she growled low, the words stuck somewhere between her throat and her mouth. There wasn’t much that she could do but her unfinished threat seemed to have the desired effect on the boy.

His eyes widened, shock visible on his features. Varian appeared even younger when he hugged his arms and whispered in a small voice, “i just want everyone to forgive me.”

That… hadn’t been what she had expected from someone who made a machine capable of conducting electricity. “What?”

He shrugged. “I want people to forget about what i’ve done. Maybe then they’ll accept me and we can all be friends again.”

Cassandra couldn’t believe what she was hearing. The same boy who had attacked Rapunzel and kidnapped the queen, was _sorry_ for what he had done. As much as she wished to remain angry with him, something about the sincerity in his eyes made her swallow her next retort. It was like she was seeing him through different eyes. What he had done was quite unforgivable however his actions made sense. It dawned on her that she had been right all along - he was still himself in spite of everything.

Taking a deep breath, Cassandra spoke up, “look, i’m not going to use sweet words and sugar coat what you’ve done. You’ll need to talk with Rapunzel if you were hoping for that but Varian, this isn’t you. There is still a chance for you to redeem yourself. Rapunzel could use your help now more than ever.”

He bit his lip. “She hates me. We can never be friends again.”

“Have you met her? She’s the nicest person i know. Of course you can be friends!”

His frown deepened when he began to pace the room. The spaghetti lay forgotten on the floor while Varian walked in circles, the gears seeming to turn inside his head. Hope blossomed inside her heart when she eyed him. It appeared like he was finally willing to help her, something she had been hoping for days. Perhaps her efforts hadn’t been wasted after all.

_Please._

After a moment longer, the boy looked absolutely lost. “What does it even matter? I don’t have anything left! Even you hate me.”

"I don't hate you.” She found herself meaning every word. Cassandra was frustrated, sure. Angry even but she didn’t hate him. Not yet.

A light appeared in his eyes. There was still doubt written on his features however determination was jumbled in as well. After all this time, he finally spoke the words she had been longing to hear, “alright, i’ll try and help but only if you eat something first. You’ll need it or else you won’t have enough strength left to run.”

It was at that moment Cassandra realised how long it had been since she had last smiled honestly. A giddiness bloomed inside her chest and caused her to chuckle with happiness. “You would do that for me?”

"I'd do anything for you."

A blush formed on her cheeks, mirroring his own. Varian was eyeing her with such an intensity that she couldn’t help but snap her gaze to her bare feet. This was it. She was finally getting out of here and he wasn’t about to stop her this time.

He startled her when he reached up and brushed the tears from her cheeks. His touch was so soft, like she was made of porcelain and could break if he put too much pressure on her face. He rummaged through his backpack until he discovered a pocket knife, a gleeful twinkling in his gaze.

Relief washed over her after he had cut the restraints from round her limbs and pulled her to her feet. “Take this,” he said and pushed the knife in her hands. Her fingers closed around the hilt, the familiar sensation bringing her comfort.

Cassandra made no effort to stand just yet. She remained seated on the floor and accepted the food she was handed. The spaghetti tasted so good after a day like this. By the end of her meal, she was licking her fingers with a childlike satisfaction. It felt good to eat on her own once more.

“I’ll come back for you,” she mumbled after she was finished.

Varian packed his things with a shy nod. “I’ll try to sabotage them. Knowing you’re coming back provokes me to be brave as well.”

There was a nervous tension inside her muscles thinking about what was about to unfold. The fear of anybody finding out about their plan made her feel a little nauseous. Hopefully their plot would succeed and no one got hurt anymore.

With each passing second, the tension in the room grew. “Wait a few minutes after i leave,” Varian whispered with a furrowed brow. “There are still a few horses in the stables downstairs. You’ll be out of here in no time if you make it past the bridge.”

"Thanks Varian."

The boy blushed in the dark.

His bangs bounced when he nodded to announce his leave. Right before opening the door, the boy glanced back over his shoulder and smiled. There was something in his expression that made a sadness swell inside her chest, like a goodbye of some sort. Perhaps it was if they both failed to defeat the Saporians.

Cassandra stared after his retreating form from her position on the floor and frowned when the door shut behind his back. He didn't appear the least like a criminal.

It was still pouring outside. The noise would drown her footsteps out which was good. She waited a few minutes until she made a move. Much like last time, she pushed herself up and managed to stand firm after some tries. With bated breath, she sneaked up to the door and pressed her ear against the wood. It was difficult to hear anything over the rain. She would need to take a dive and open the door to find out if the guard had yet to be returned.

Nerves soared through her when she pulled the door open, only to find a deserted hallway. She held herself up against the wall while she stumbled through the hall. If she managed to reach the secret tunnel around the corner like she planned yesterday, she might be able to sneak past whoever was still left inside the palace and reach the ground floor. The stables were centered next to the training field. She would need to reach the guard's quarters without fault.

A couple of voices popped up somewhere behind her. With a start, she turned around and waited for anyone to discover her until the sound carried over to a different hall. Cassandra breathed out a shaky breath and continued forward.

The crimson glue from the day before was still there however her shoes remained stuck when she pulled them. It didn’t appear like they would ever move. With a pout, Cassandra stalked onward toward the vase on her exposed feet.

The wall slid to the side after she pressed a certain brick, revealing a winding staircase. As soon as she stepped inside and the wall closed up behind her, Cassandra felt like she could breathe again. It was dark however she didn't care because as long as she remained inside, she was safe. The Saporians didn't know how to use these halls so she didn't need to fear them bursting in.

Of course she needed to hurry up and reach the stables before they caught on to her absence but for now everything was… Okay. Andrew wasn’t able to torture her no more. Here, she was free.

The woman stumbled forward in the dark. It was very cold, her bare feet freezing on the stone floor. She didn’t have a light with her and her maps were still inside her own room however she knew most of these halls by heart. With some luck, she might make it on her own.

Every now and then, she imagined to hear a sound in the distance and the hallucinations pumped fear into her heart, but she swallowed her nerves and walked on.

It took her a moment to attain the right exit. If she had miscalculated and landed herself in the wrong region, there was the possibility of being trapped down here. However, when her fingers brushed the familiar knob, she became positive to be on the right track. The door slid open with a crunch, light flooding into the tunnel. Cassandra made sure no one was around before strolling ahead. Her feet skidded across the carpeted floor until her eye caught on to two Saporians stationed in front of the entryway.

_Stick!_

Cassandra bit down on her bottom lip and scanned the hallway. She had hoped to escape through the door but it seemed as though she would need to sneak her way out of a window. There was no way she was able to defeat them in her current state.

She waited till the strangers glanced sideways and she was able to jump right past their spot without being detected. There was a lower window in Stan’s room. Her legs ached when she lifted herself over the edge whilst making sure her damaged fingers remained in the air. It had stopped raining, she realised when a fresh breeze greeted her. Cassandra took a couple of seconds to close her eyes and take a whiff of wet stone in the evening air.

Her toes paddled through the water while she ducked beneath a bush and sneaked past security. The stables loomed up in front of her. Cassandra reached out a hand toward the door when voices erupted behind her. There was a man pointing in her direction before more people jumped out of the castle.

She had been discovered!

Cassandra cursed inwardly. There was no time to borrow a horse anymore. Instead, the woman turned on her heel and ran toward the gates while she held her swollen fingers against her chest. Something hot streamed down her lips and when she glanced downward, there was a dark liquid leaking down her wrists. Blood seeped from her nose, the stress inflicting a nosebleed on her. _Great,_ she thought in frustration.

The footsteps behind her grew in number, their voices commanding her to stop. Cassandra’s chest burned from the sprint she was taking on but she didn’t give up. It would take more than a nosebleed for her to surrender.

It was quiet in the city. Just like last time, Corona was completely abandoned. The noise behind her transformed into drums inside her ears. Cassandra fled into a nearby alley and tried to open the first door she encountered. It opened instantly. She slipped inside before closing the latch. Relief flooded her. Cassandra rested her back against the door and closed her eyes, her breathing wild. Blood was still dripping from her chin, drawing patterns on the wooden floor below her feet.

She could hear people outside and swallowed past the lump in her throat. Had she actually made it? No, there were still a lot of houses in between her and the bridge leading to the forest. If she managed to make it to the lagoon she had discovered with Rapunzel two years ago, she would be free from Andrew and his men. No one knew about its existence, not even Eugene or the king himself.

A sound from inside provoked her to jump. There were two little children with ginger hair seated around the dinner table, their eyes wide upon seeing her. It must be weird for them to have a stranger barge in their home looking the way she did. In any other situation, this might have been funny. Now though, she was trembling on her legs.

Before she had the time to speak, one of the girls called out over her shoulder and said, “mom? There’s a weird lady in the house!”

A woman walked into the living room, wiping her hands on a napkin. She had the same striking ginger hair matching her daughters’, a characteristic that sent memories to her brain however her thoughts were too scrambled to recollect whose house she was standing in. Fortunately, the woman did the thinking for her. “Cassandra? What happened to you? Are you alright, sweety?”

It was only when she heard the woman’s voice that Cassandra recognised her face - she was one of the guard’s wifes. They had met before when she had been a little girl. “Eh… i-i need to… i… _help me_!”

As soon as she spoke those words, the woman stalked forward to support some of her weight. “Did the Saporians do this to you? I _knew_ we had to stand up against the king! My husband kept telling me to wait until the princess was found but this is getting out of hand!”

“W-where is Dennis anyway?”

“Haven’t you heard?” The woman wiped her napkin below her nose, cleansing the blood from her chin. “He’s still out there collecting crystals from the mine. We all need to reach our daily quota or else the king will arrest us.”

Her eyes widened in shock. Corona was off worse than she feared. “Are all the royal guards doing this work?”

She shook her head. “Some left to find the princess like your father. I suspect he has found her by now.”

That carried a smile to her face. It was the first good news she had heard all day. She knew her father would have conjured up some sort of plan - it was in his nature. She wished there was a way to trace his steps once she made it out of the city.

“Why don’t i get you a change of clothes and a new pair of shoes? You must be cold like that.” The lady glanced down at her bare feet, her kids giggling at the sight. Cassandra didn’t mind. At least they hadn’t lost their joy the way she had.

Suddenly, a shadow appeared underneath the door. Cassandra turned around with a start, her fear returning. The specks of blood on the floor caught her attention and she winced. They would know for certain she had been here once they made it inside.

One of Andrew’s men slammed a fist on the door, shouting, “open the door, girl! We know you’re in there!”

Cassandra gasped and took a step back. The children had grown silent around the table and their mother stared at the door in alarm, jaw set. “Use the back door,” she whispered to the raven. “I’ll try to hold them off as long as possible.”

She didn’t hesitate. Cassandra pushed her legs into gear and fled toward the back of the house. Her nose was still bleeding which irritated her. Before the door closed behind her, she could hear Dennis' wife talking to the people at the front, their voices demanding.

The bridge stood out in the mist. Bile prickled her throat while she ran. Every step she took drowned out the noise behind her, further and further into the night. She was almost there but her legs were starting to give way and her chest burned. Her fingers grew heavy around Varian’s dagger, the weapon becoming a burden instead of a means to defend herself.

_Only a little more._

Trees loomed up behind the path, dark but inviting. Tears filled her eyes. Freedom was almost in her grasp. Rapunzel, her father… They were all waiting for her.

_Almost!_

Her naked foot touched the first stone of the bridge when a hand grasped her wrist from behind. Andrew was glaring at her, a villainous smirk edged into his features. Cassandra screamed and attempted to pull herself free but he tightened the grip on her bloodied hand. "You're a lot more feisty than i remember, Cassie, but it's over now."

Her eyes widened, fury coursing through her. Who did he think he was? The king himself? "No!" She yelled and lifted the knife in front of her chest. He let go of her hand at once, her blood tainting his fingers as well. She was still dripping red. "I'm not your toy!"

His smirk grew while he took a step forward. Cassandra tightened the hold on her dagger but the weapon was trembling in her grasp. He seemed to notice as well. "Brave Cassandra. You're a real challenge to tame, you know that?"

He was slowly advancing on her. _Snake!_ Cassandra took a firm stance and held her ground however… she was feeling so weak. It wouldn't be long until her body gave up and betrayed her. How was she ever going to win this fight?

Andrew clicked his tongue against the roof of his mouth with a chuckle. "Just give up, Cassandra. You look like a mess. There's no way you're getting out of here."

She scanned her surroundings but there wasn't anyone nearby. It was just her and Andrew underneath the low lantern light. Cassandra clamped her mouth shut. She _knew_ he was right - there was no way she was going to leave on her own. Not when her body was this frail.

The fight was over.

A tear slid down her cheek, mingling with the blood on her skin. Andrew pulled his own knife from his belt and met her halfway. Her left hand was clumsy around the hilt but she persisted. He had been beaten by her before. Cassandra could still recall the thrill she had felt after receiving her medallion and ensuring he was locked behind bars. The victory had been so sweet. Something inside of Andrew’s eyes remembered her of herself during that time.

And then it dawned on her: Rapunzel’s location had been the start of something greater between them - some sort of game to see who would break first. Ever since his downfall, Andrew wanted to get his revenge on her in the best way possible - making her betray her own kingdom and her best friend all in one. They had been challenging one another for days and the ultimate price was Rapunzel’s location.

Nonetheless, the longer Cassandra reflected on the past days, she realised he would never be a winner. Regardless of what he put her through, she was not going to give in and play the part he had shaped for her. He wished to see a broken spirit, something that was waiting on the brim of her consciousness, but she refused to give in. She might not win this fight today but she would never _give up._

With a growl, she managed to push him back enough to get him off balance. Two points for her. Cassandra raised her weapon once again and struck down. He bared his teeth and jumped to the side, warding off her attacks with ease. Dark spots danced around the edge of her vision. Andrew used this moment to lash out with his dagger. The weapon fell from her grasp and clattered to the ground. With both hands, the Saporian grasped a hold of her wrists and pushed her face to the earth. His body pressed down on her struggling form, dirt and water staining the side of her face while she _screamed!_

Fury and desperation overwhelmed her, her chest tightening from the emotions. It was too much. Cassandra couldn’t help but cry pathetically beneath Andrew. Rapunzel… What was taking her so long?

Andrew's friends arrived on the scene. The group of criminals stared down at her with matching smirks, all the while congratulating Andrew on his victory. Wait until she was free at last. Cassandra would show him what she was capable of!

The woman continued to struggle until a hand shot out and grasped a hold of her hair. Andrew knocked her head to the earth below, plunging the world into darkness. When she woke up a moment later, her head hurt so bad she might throw up. Cassandra remained motionless on the ground whilst Andrew spoke up. “I want someone in front of her door at _all_ times from now on!"

"How could she escape?” One of the Saporians replied. “We tied her up pretty well."

Cassandra followed his hand which plucked something from the earth that was resting next to her head - Varian’s dagger. His voice was like a hiss when he answered, "i suppose we need to interrogate our new _friend_ as well."

Cassandra’s face contorted into a grimace. Not only had her plan failed, but Varian was in big trouble. She wished he had some tricks up his sleeve in case they decided to hurt him as well.

She certainly didn't. Not anymore.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Poor Cass. I promise there will be a happy ending!
> 
> Edit: the lagoon Cass mentiones is inspired by the first book and i've got Dennis' name from the comics.
> 
> 2nd edit: picture was made by Flossy2003 :)


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've added art at the end of the previous chapter! Artist is Flossy2003. Thanks again :)

_Drip, drip, drip._

Cassandra was back inside the room. She had come to despise these walls. Water had begun to leak from the ceiling. The drip was sufficient to make her head spin. Each droplet hit her like a punch to the head, the sound resonating inside her ears. She couldn’t see where it was coming from, the leak someplace behind her chair. Cassandra wished to push herself up and fix the hole so bad.

_Drip, drip, drip._

The woman grit her teeth and moaned low in her throat. It would have been great if she was able to sleep for a while, however her head was hurting excessively for sleep to take her away. Andrew had hurt her pretty bad last night when he knocked her face on the stoned path of the bridge. She became certain to have a mild concussion because even the tender light from the window made her stomach sick.

_Drip, drip, drip._

The Saporians had pulled her restraints extra tight, cutting into her flesh painfully. Cassandra wasn’t sure if she could ever break out on her own. Now that Varian wasn’t allowed inside anymore and her body had become even weaker, the possibilities of her doing so were very slim. Of course she would flee if the opportunity would present itself but that appeared more like a pleasant fantasy rather than an actual chance.

_Drip, drip, drip._

Her chin was still covered in blood, staining her skin and shirt red. Andrew hadn’t been so considerate as to clean her up and take a look at her injuries. The man had simply dropped her off hours ago and left her alone without food or water. His eyes had been seething when he advised her to open her mouth and _talk_ if she ever wanted to have another meal. She had sneered through her pain before the door closed up on her.

Her stomach growled - the only sound worse than the dripping water. Cassandra bit down on her bottom lip and moaned once again. She was so hungry. Thoughts of food had been bombarding her for a long while. Cassandra tried to focus her attention on the wall to distract herself and counted her breaths. _In for four, out for four... Repeat._

Another growl followed by a new flood of images. What she wouldn’t give for one of Varian’s meals right now. Cassandra blinked moisture from her eyes. It seemed as though she had come to cry more often since her second defeat. She had been so close to reaching the forest. It was extremely frustrating to attain freedom only to have the rug pulled out from under her feet.

It felt like days when the door finally opened. The aroma of melted cheese entered her nostrils, snapping her eyes open at once. Andrew smirked when he crouched down in front of her. He was waving a grilled sandwich in front of her face, her stomach rumbling loud at the sight. Had he always been a great chef or did he make this especially delicious for her?

“You want a piece of this?” Her eyes remained fixated on the plate without answering. “You can have it. Just answer my question.”

Her voice was hoarse when she spoke up, "i-i... No."

Andrew looked impatient. "I will leave this here until you change your mind."

She cursed inwardly whilst he put the plate in front of her feet and left. The scent of melted cheese was _everywhere_. Cassandra was so focused on the sandwich that she couldn’t even sleep. Water crept into her mouth and her hands were shaking inside their restraints.

A few hours later and her stomach physically hurt. The pain was so intense that she bit down on her tongue and wished for the sensation to pass. The craving for Rapunzel grew in size, drawing another tear from her eye. Cassandra let her head drop forward while she cried. “I’m s-sorry,” she whispered to no one. “I tried but… i-i’m sorry.”

Night fell over the kingdom of Corona. Cassandra was shivering on her chair, her toes freezing. The smell of cheese had long since vanished from the room and her stomach felt numb. The door opened for the second time. Andrew stormed inside once more, this time accompanied by his bulky friend who had Varian pinned against his chest. That surprised her so much that she couldn’t help but gape in confusion. The trio halted in front of her before the Saporian pressed a knife against the boy’s throat at Andrew’s singal. “You’re going to talk right now or the kid dies.”

Her heart leapt into her throat. “Y-you wouldn’t dare.”

“Wouldn’t i?” The man snapped his fingers, his friend tightening the hold on his weapon. The fear in Varian’s eyes grew. He appeared truly afraid which pumped worry into her own heart as well. “We’ve discovered a new way to destroy Corona so there’s no need for Varian’s memory formula anymore. I still need to know where the princess is though. She’s still able to ruin our plans so tell me where she is.”

“I-i…” She glanced between Andrew and Varian’s fearfilled expression. “I don’t…”

The Saporian rolled his eyes, the tip of the knife pressing against the boy’s neck. “Come on, woman. Where is the princess? I promise to be kind if you answer me. You can have all the food you want and even sleep in the princess’ bed. Doesn’t that sound nice?”

He left her no choice. Varian appeared so afraid and the Saporian’s features were taut with determination. The seconds passed by, her nerves running wild. She couldn’t betray Rapunzel now after everything. However, there was one thing she hadn’t tried yet. This plan contained no honor but she would take that humiliation if someone’s life was at stake.

"Y-you promise?"

He perked up at her question. "I do. Now tell me where the princess is."

Cassandra bit her lip and lied, "t-the kingdom of Koto."

"What? But that's at least a month worth of traveling! Are you sure?"

She nodded. Andrew narrowed his eyes at her, however the hold on Varian was loosening. "That’s good news. By the time she gets here, her precious kingdom will already be blown to bits. There’s no stopping us now."

Cassandra bit the inside of her cheek to keep herself from laughing out loud. Andrew seemed to believe her and now Rapunzel had the upper hand once more. Her friends could sneak inside the castle whilst the Saporians were distracted. Perhaps she hadn’t failed just yet.

Varian visibly relaxed when the tall man dropped the dagger. “Thank you Cassandra,” Andrew mumbled low, his fingers stroking her cheek. She wanted to bite his hand off. “See, that wasn’t so hard, was it? Now let’s get you something to eat. I’m a man of my word after all.”

After Varian was dragged out of the room by the muscled Saporian, Andrew knelt down in front of her and lifted the sandwich to her lips. The cheese had already turned cold and the bread was hard, but she couldn’t care less. Cassandra was so hungry that she greedily bit down on the food. The first few bites were tough to swallow but she managed to eat eventually.

It was a relief when the ropes fell around the chair after Andrew cut her loose. Cassandra pushed herself to her feet only to fall against his chest. The room was spinning and dark spots whirled all around her. Andrew sighed whilst he held her up. “You can’t even walk. Do i really have to carry you?”

She shook her head because that seemed like a horrible idea, however Andrew ignored her command and lifted her into the air like a newly wed bride. Pink flared on her cheeks. Cassandra hadn’t felt so embarrassed since Rapunzel put her to shame during the Challenge of the Brave. She wanted to protest but her head swam too much for her to talk.

It took them a moment to reach Rapunzel’s room all the way to the most high tower. Cassandra was relieved they didn’t run into any of Andrew’s buddies. Her skull ached from the light and shifting colors around them so she snapped her eyes shut and waited till they walked through the door.

Rapunzel’s room appeared exactly the way they had left it. Cassandra was glad to see the place after the musty one she had been locked inside. Andrew placed her on the bed and surprised her when he pulled the blanket over her cold frame, ensuring she was comfortable. Even when he brought her water and food, the man was thoughtful enough to make sure she didn’t consume too fast before she could fall ill. He never walked her to a bathroom in case she wanted to cleanse the blood from her body, however Andrew did bandage her fingers with gentle hands. Of course she would still need to see a physician to get her the proper treatment but this would qualify for now.

At least until Rapunzel returns.

Cassandra was left alone inside the room with the curtains drawn to soothe her headache. A grin covered her features. The fact that he tended to her whilst she had lied to him made her feel victorious. Idiot, she thought. The princess could return any moment now and the strangers would be totally unprepared. Cassandra realised she should sit up and attempt to flee. There was a hidden tunnel behind Rapunzel’s fireplace. Perhaps this time her plan could succeed.

The woman closed her eyes for a moment and listened. There was no drip nearby or angry voices on the hallway. Rapunzel’s bed was so soft, like clouds. The sheets held her smell even after all these weeks, making it appear like she was right there sleeping next to Cassandra. It was a nice fantasy, one that pulled her further and further away from the waking world.

Cassandra fell asleep after a few more minutes fighting with the exhaustion. Unlike usual, her dreams were peaceful and filled with joy.

***

The door slammed against the wall with a loud bang. Cassandra woke up with a start, her headache back in full force. It took her a few seconds to register where she was and how she got there. It was only when Andrew towered over her, that she remembered the past couple of days.

Her eyes widened at the fury written on his features. Cassandra had never seen him this mad before. He pulled at her t-shirt while growling, "my people have spotted the princess and her friends outside the city. That can only mean one thing: you _lied_ to me! She was never in Koto if she's already here to save you."

He was jostling her too much, her entire frame hurting from the motion. Cassandra attempted to break free but her hands weren't doing anything to weaken his hold. "I feeded you and gave you the best room in the castle and _this_ is how you repay me?!" Andrew screamed in her face.

"S-stop!"

"Never! You shouldn't have done that, Cassie. Now you've made me _really_ mad."

The man tossed her onto the carpeted floor without mercy. Cassandra landed on her side, pain sprouting through her ribs. His hand closed up around her broken fingers before he tightened the hold, pulling a scream from her. Andrew didn't seem to care about her well-being. "I can break more than your fingers, hon."

Her heart leapt into her throat. No. She couldn't cope with any more pain. It had been enough! The fear encompassing her was so overwhelming, that she began to shiver uncontrollably. The look in Andrew's eyes was so cold, his emotions out of his mind. She knew he was going to kill her for sure - it was readable in his entire posture.

Suddenly, suffering from hunger appeared like a much better alternative right now.

The Saporian dragged her by the hair toward one of Rapunzel's elegant chairs. Cassandra's head was aching for release, her vision swaying whilst she landed with a grunt on the seat. There were pieces of cloth around her wrists before she could blink. Andrew had borrowed Rapunzel's silk ribbons from her desk drawer. She would have told him to stay off Rapunzel’s things if her body hadn't been hurting so much.

Cassandra blinked when the curtains were forcefully pulled to the side, light stinging her eyes. When color returned to the room, Andrew was already marching over to her with the fire iron from Rapunzel's fireplace. Her eyes were huge and her chest tightened. This was it: she wasn't going to make it before Rapunzel returned.

A low chuckle escaped Andrew's lips. "You had such nice legs. It's a shame really. I didn't want to do this either but you've tested my patience for the last time."

_No, no, no._

Andrew tightened the hold on his weapon. With every passing second, her heartbeat quickened and more sweat covered her forehead. "W-wait. Please don't! I-i'm sorry!"

"Too late."

Cassandra snapped her eyes shut and held her breath. When the rod met her leg, she screamed so loud it must have been audible throughout the whole palace. It was the same one she had broken once before after she fell down from Rapunzel’s stupid trap. Hopefully, the bone was still intact, however it hurt so bad! Her nerves throbbed painfully in sync along with her pulse.

She must have lost consciousness because she awoke not so long after. With a start, she noted Andrew who was raising the weapon over his head once more. It was a miracle when the door opened before he was able to land another hit.

Clementine poked her head inside the room, saying, "the princess is almost here, boss. Should we attack them?"

He never averted his gaze from Cassandra when he answered, "no, let them come on their own. I believe we have the perfect bait sitting right in front of us."

The Saporians shared a gleeful look with one another. Andrew plucked another ribbon from Rapunzel's desk before his hands fastened the material round Cassandra's mouth. He regarded her in satisfaction. "Well, Cassandra, it seems as though you're finally released from your torture. Thanks to you, Rapunzel will be captured and Corona erased from the map. It was a pleasure working with you."

She flinched on her seat after the door shut to a close. Cassandra had started to hyperventilate without her own knowledge. She stared down at her lap feeling defeated and scared. Rapunzel… The kingdom… She hadn't been able to put a stop to any of Andrew's plans. Her efforts hadn't been _enough_.

Cassandra cried behind the gag, every last bit of hope fleeing from her.

***

"It looks abandoned."

"Good," Rapunzel responded. "Let's sneak our way in before anyone comes back."

The group shuffled through the gates of the palace square. After days, they had finally made it back to Corona. Together with the royal guards, they had managed to sneak their way into the city without fault, however it didn't appear very hard to walk inside undetected. Corona was completely abandoned just like Captain had defined during the trip home. The man and his colleagues were currently searching the land to gather every soldier for the fight to win back their kingdom. He had advised her to wait until he returned but Rapunzel was tired of waiting. She needed to see her friend now or else she didn’t know what she would do!

Eugene and Lance volunteered to go with her. Naturally, Rapunzel had requested to head inside on her own in case something went wrong and they lost more people, but the men had insisted. Together they were stronger - a statement that had been proven to be true countless times before.

It was a shame Hookfoot couldn't join them on their mission. The man was still recovering from his illness and wasn't in shape just yet. Rapunzel had asked Maximus to keep an eye on him just in case an emergency rose up. She could always count on her animal friends.

Pascal's brow furrowed from his position on her shoulder. Rapunzel gave him a nod before the group walked into the castle. The place was even more deserted than the town. The thought of her parents entered her mind. Rapunzel wished to see them but their memories had been erased. It frightened her what she might encounter when she would step into the throne room so she didn't. There was no time to help her family right now. Their number one priority was freeing Cassandra and ensuring she was alright.

She led her friends toward the dungeons first. It would make sense for the Saporians to keep their prisoners in one of the cells, however when they arrived in the right place, only empty rooms greeted her. There was only one person seated inside and when Rapunzel stalked closer, her eyes widened upon seeing said person.

"Varian?" Anger was growing in the pit of her stomach. "What are you doing in there? I thought you were helping Andrew take over the kingdom?"

He glanced up in surprise but his features morphed over to... Relief? Rapunzel was growing more confused by the second. "Rapunzel! I'm so glad you're here! I want to help you stop Andrew."

"Okay, wait a minute. You want to help after everything you've done?" Eugene asked, his eyes packed with suspicion.

The boy nodded behind the bars. "I'm sorry. I know this doesn't make any sense but… I am truly sorry. I know i shouldn't have listened to Andrew. I realise that now thanks to Cass."

Rapunzel gasped and grasped the door of the cell with both hands. "You've spoken to Cassandra? Where is she? Is she okay?"

The look in Varian's eyes didn't bode much relief to ease her concerns. He didn't answer, only stared down at his feet with a hesitant expression. She tightened the hold on the bars before stepping aside. "Open the door."

Eugene and Lance stared at her like she had just lost her mind. Perhaps she had. "Blondie, did you forget that he's the enemy in this story?"

She frowned. "We don't have time, Eugene! He knows where Cassandra is so we need his help."

"You know, the princess might be onto something," Lance spoke up with a shrug.

Eugene grumbled something unintelligent, however he began to pick the lock without further discussion. Varian looked almost afraid to exit his prison. Rapunzel was pressured to guide him out and shoot him a reassuring nod. Her tactic seemed to work, for he nodded back of his own.

"Cassandra's on the second floor. She's in a lot of pain so we need to hurry."

"Lead the way," she replied, her frown deepening.

Lance held Varian back for a moment to wipe the boy's chin. He looked way more like himself without the added paint on his skin. Varian seemed to realise as well, a pink blush covering his cheeks, before scurrying off to the staircase at the start of the hallway.

The boy led them all the way to the handmaid's quarters. It continued to surprise Rapunzel how bare these usually busy halls were. A voice at the back of her mind whispered for her to be careful. It wasn't clear as to why but Rapunzel knew something was wrong. Aside from the Saporians, there was an unusual atmosphere drifting through the air that made her walk on the tips of her toes.

They came to a halt in front of a single door. Varian seemed to grow nervous and took a step back. The mysterious pressure in the air grew between all of them. It was Lance who made the first move and pushed the door open for the princess.

Rapunzel practically ran inside only to discover… nothing. The room was bare except for a tank in one corner filled with water and two chairs, one in another corner and the other in the middle near the window. There wasn't anything special about this place except for the moldy smell and the dark spots staining the floor. Still, when Rapunzel stalked forward and took a closer look, she recognized the red tint of blood. She gasped in alarm before her attention was drawn by an object resting near the wall in the shadow.

Her hands were shaking whilst holding the dark glove that had become all too familiar to her. "This is Cassandra's! She was definitely here."

Lance brushed a hand over the back of the chair, red tainting his fingers. "This doesn't look good."

"I thought you said she was here?" Eugene hissed at Varian, his voice more menacing than usual.

The boy nodded profusely. "She's been here for days! I promise! They must have moved her to a different room!"

Rapunzel sighed. Her hands were clutching the glove to her chest until she slid the item inside her blue satchel. "How are we ever going to find her? She could be anywhere!"

A light appeared in Varian's eyes. "I… I think i know where they might have taken her. I remember Andrew making a specific promise."

"Bring us to her now!"

Varian walked them all the way to the tower. Rapunzel was slightly puzzled when they reached her room and the familiar set of doors she had opened countless times before. The girl swallowed past the lump in her throat and opened them. It was dark inside, safe for a streak of light streaming in through the curtains. One chair stood out to the rest of the furniture. When Rapunzel set foot inside, she couldn't help but drop her frying pan when she laid eyes on her best friend.

"Cassandra!"

The woman didn't raise her head when Rapunzel called out and knelt down in front of her, Eugene following her exemple. Cassandra looked _awful_ \- various cuts and bruises painted her skin and her right hand appeared to be broken. Her breathing was shallow and blood stood out on her chin. Now that she analyzed her friend, there weren't many places that hadn't been tainted red.

"Cass, it's me. It's Rapunzel. Can you hear me?"

Cassandra blinked slowly before her eyes met Rapunzel's. It seemed to take a moment before she registered who was seated in front of her. As soon as she noticed Rapunzel, the woman's eyes widened and she began to speak behind her gag. Eugene removed the ribbon with careful fingers. "R-Raps…"

"Hey," she replied, trying to keep herself from crying in front of her friend. "It's okay. We're getting you out of here. I promise."

However, the urgency in Cassandra's eyes never wavered. "N-no. Raps… It's…"

"What? What's wrong?"

The raven took a deep breath before she whispered one single word:

_"Trap."_

The room exploded with noise. Five people jumped out from different hideouts, however one face in particular stood out to her. Fury boiled within her when Rapunzel stared back at Andrew - the person responsible for her parents wiped memories and Cassandra's pain. She had been too distracted to notice the other strangers whilst they held her back, out of Cassandra's reach.

"We finally caught you and it was all thanks to Cassie over here."

Rapunzel narrowed her eyes at Andrew. "What have you done to her?"

He simply shrugged. "You have a good friend, princess. She wouldn't even give us a hint as to where you were. Not even when we beat her up." His hand shot out to grasp a hold of Cassandra's greasy hair, the action pulling a pained cry from the woman.

Rapunzel was shaking inside their hold, fury hitting her _everywhere_. "Leave her alone!"

"As you wish, your highness." The Saporian released the warrior with a forceful shove. "We don't have a need for her anymore now that you are here." His attention snapped to his friends then. "Lock them up, guys. It's time for the big finally!"

Rapunzel wasn't about to let them win without a fight. They should know better than to touch her loved ones! Pulling herself loose by stomping her foot on the person behind her, the girl unclipped her hair and snatched a long strand of magical curls. She was about to attack Andrew when he held his knife against Cassandra's throat. Her eyes widened and she halted in her movements.

"If you fight, she dies."

Rapunzel narrowed her eyes at him but otherwise remained motionless. The Saporians escorted them out of the room, Cassandra's bloodied face the last thing she saw when she glanced back over her shoulder. It shouldn't have to end this way. They didn't travel so far only to lose now when she had her friend back. Rapunzel needed to do something before they could reach the dungeons.

Fortunately, she didn't have to. Familiar faces beneath golden helmets strode into the hallway. Captain appeared calm, however Rapunzel recognized the same rage beneath his controlled exterior she was filled with. They shared a look before the royal guards charged ahead and arrested the criminals.

"Wait, Andrew is still inside my bedroom," she called out to the men.

It was Cassandra's father who joined her inside the room. Andrew had disappeared. The Captain of the guards send Stan and Pete downstairs to hunt the man down before his attention was focusing on his daughter. His eyes grew concerned, another emotion they shared in common.

"She's fainted. I'm bringing her to the medical wing."

Rapunzel assisted the man in untying her friend and making sure she was comfortable inside his arms. The entire end toward the doctor had her stomach twisted in knots. Cassandra looked so bad. Rapunzel wished for her to be alright once more. It would mean the world to her if she could listen to her voice again and watch her smile.

For now, she would remain by her side and watch over her best friend even if it meant no sleep. Cassandra had done the same for her so it appears. It was time for Rapunzel to return the favor.


	6. Chapter 6

The first thing Cassandra noted when she woke up was how blissful she felt. Aside from the pain in her body, she smiled and relaxed into the mattress below herself. It had been too long since she last slept in anything other than a stiff chair.

The second element that caught her attention was the light. The room she was resting in was too bright so it took her a few seconds before she was able to open her eyes. The walls were wite and there wasn’t much furniture aside from a single chair that showed off her blood stained clothes. The crimson spots reminded her abruptly of the torture Andrew had put her through. With a start, Cassandra pushed herself up on her elbows before she winced when a sharp pain shot through her right hand. It appeared to have been bandaged and treated by a professional.

A hand pushed her back against the pillows. “Calm down,” Eugene told her softly. “You’re in the castle’s hospital wing. It’s okay now. You’re safe.”

Her head was still throbbing, sending bile up her throat. “What-” Cassandra cleared the passage, however the roughness remained in her voice. “What happened?”

“Rapunzel took back her kingdom with the help of the frog and a single frying pan,” he responded with a shrug, playing the heroic deed off lightly. “The usual.”

She couldn't help but smirk at his tone. "Sounds like her."

“Just for the record, i was helping her the whole time.”

"I don’t remember anything like that."

"I save you and this is my thanks?"

A laugh escaped her lips before she was interrupted by a painful ache inside her chest. Cassandra groaned pitifully. "I feel like garbage."

"You look like garbage too."

Her eyes narrowed but they both knew she wasn't being serious. It felt great to see him, listen to his dumb jokes even. Cassandra would never admit it out loud but she had missed him as well. “Could you close the curtains for me?”

He cast a brief look toward the bandage around her head. “Oh! Sure.”

Her headache was already diminishing after the room filled with darkness.

"Are you hungry?" He suddenly asked to which she nodded. "I'll get you something to eat."

Her eyes widened. It had only been a minute since she woke up and he was going to leave her already? "Wait, it's okay! I'm not that hungry."

"It's fine," he countered. "This'll only take a minute. Rapunzel is here as well but she needed to go see the restroom. I think she'll be right back."

A lump formed in her throat when the door closed behind him. The room appeared to stretch further away from her, the chair in the corner fleeing. Her left hand clenched around the edge of the blankets, a strange anxiousness boiling through her veins. Cassandra held her breath and stared up at the ceiling. She was alright now. After a week, her friends had finally returned and rescued her. Everything was okay, right?

_Right._

Her mind wandered over to the Saporians. They were spending their days inside a cold prison cell. The idea humored her. Now they would understand what that feels like.

Her heart was still beating wild thanks to some unknown motive. _Calm down,_ she reprimanded herself. Why couldn’t she calm down? The raven bit her tongue, preventing herself from crying. It was only when the door opened once again, that she was able to release some of the tension between her shoulder blades. It wasn’t Eugene who had turned the doorknob. Cassandra blinked back at the person standing in the doorway, their expression filled with joy when they saw her.

She didn’t have enough time to comprehend what was happening before Rapunzel was holding her in a tight embrace. “Thank goodness you’re awake! I was _so_ worried!”

The bruises on her body ached from the force behind Rapunzel’s hug. "Rapunzel! You're c-crushing me!"

The princess released her at once, regret written on her features. “Sorry! My bad. I guess i’m just too excited.” Cassandra watched her take a seat next to the bed, her hands folded in her lap. There was a vulnerability to her pose, like she was holding something back. “How are you feeling?”

She cast a look to the bandages around her limbs before her eyes met Rapunzel’s once more. “I’ve been better.”

“Cass, i’m so sorry. If i had known about all of this, i would have never sent you off on your own to Corona.”

"We needed the medicine."

"That's true but-"

"How's Hook Foot?"

Rapunzel faltered at Cassandra's clipped tone. "He's fine thanks to you."

"Good." She let herself unwind against the pillows. "That's good."

"Do you need anything else?"

"No, Eugene went after food. I'm famished."

"I can imagine." She hesitated. "Did he feed you well?" Cassandra shrugged in return. Rapunzel took another moment to collect her thoughts before saying, "do you want to talk about it?"

"There's nothing to talk about."

"But he _hurt_ you! I want to know what happened."

"Do you? Because i don’t think you’re ready for that truth. Trust me, Raps. It's way better if you don't."

It wasn’t like she didn’t want Rapunzel to know about her torture. It was just that she couldn’t talk about it yet. Perhaps she never wanted to. The memories were enough to make her feel queasy.

Eugene chose that moment to join them with a steaming bowl of pumpkin soup. Rapunzel assisted Cassandra to a seated position before the food was handed to her. It smelled delicious. Cassandra couldn’t help but devour the meal in one go, the flavor of the broth exploding on her tongue. She was feeling better already.

Cassandra finished her meal in silence while she listened to another fulsome tale from Eugene - something about the amount of Saporians he had fought yesterday. Cassandra countered that there hadn’t been that many foes for him alone but he objected with another dumb joke. She was glad for the distraction.

Rapunzel appeared like she wanted to ask Cassandra a thousand questions beside him. Cassandra didn’t want to discuss recent events so she ignored the princess.

Eugene went to dispose of her empty plate a moment later. Rapunzel had chosen to share stories about the journey back home while Cassandra had been in captivity. It was interesting to hear about her father and the rest of the guards finding her friends and assisting them in taking back their kingdom.

"I’m going to look for your father. He’s still taking care of business while i’m here,” Rapunzel spoke up after the mention of her father. “You can sleep some more. The doctor told us to give you lots of rest.”

The same inexplicable fear from earlier gripped her throat. "Wait! Don't go!" Rapunzel regarded her in surprise, taken aback from her outburst. Cassandra glanced sideways in shame, her cheeks gaining a pink hue. “I-i mean okay. Sure. I’ll get some sleep then.”

Rapunzel placed a hand over her arm. “Or i can stay here while you do and Eugene can look for the Captain when he returns.”

“You don’t have to stay here if you have more important things to do.”

“You are important.”

She smiled, a happiness filling her heart. She must have slept for a very long time because when she woke up, the ray of sunshine that had peered inside through the curtains was gone, replaced with milky moonlight. Her father and Rapunzel were there just like the girl had promised. They greeted her with kind eyes and soft words, something she had never realised to miss so dearly like in this moment.

***

It was the first night Cassandra was allowed to sleep in her own bed after her stay inside the hospital wing. Rapunzel had been there for most of the time, however there came a moment when she was needed elsewhere to take care of Corona. Now that the Saporians had left a mess behind, she would need to fix everything on her own without the help of her parents. Cassandra could understand but she wished to see her friend more often.

At one point, Varian had paid her a visit. There had been something soothing about his presence, like he understood some hidden emotion no one else knew of. He told her about the day Rapunzel freed him from the dungeons and was adamant to find Cassandra. That added a grin to her features. Naturally, Rapunzel would forgive the boy after he helped a friend in need. It was simply in her nature. Cassandra was glad everyone was back together. She had forgiven him as well.

The raven flipped to the next page of her book. Her concussion had disappeared rather fast by the end of her stay inside the hospital. Though she had spent most of that time asleep, Cassandra was still feeling drained. It appeared as though all of her energy had left her since the Saporians were defeated. Aside from the pain in her body, there was a weakness to her frame that wouldn’t leave. It was frustrating to say the least.

It was a good thing her broken limbs had been splinted so she was no more in pain.

Cassandra snapped her gaze up from the book with a start at the memories of her swollen fingers, a shiver running down her spine. She longed for the umpth time to see Rapunzel. It would probably make some difference if she were to help wherever she could, however the doctor had advised her to rest as much as possible. Besides, Cassandra would only walk in her friend’s way. She was slow now that she needed assistance from crutches to make her way around the royal palace.

It was frustrating to feel so useless all the time. If she hadn’t been hurt, Cassandra would have already made her way outside and assisted the princess and her parents.

The woman glanced around herself. Her room was hotter than usual thanks to the candles. It was a pleasant change after the cold from the past days. Her toes were wrapped in a pair of colorful woolen socks Rapunzel had made for Christmas last year and a thick sweater hugged her chest. No one had been able to recover the one she wore during her imprisonment which was a shame. That sweater had been a gift from her dad when she had turned fourteen, making it her favorite one out of all her clothes.

Cassandra averted her attention back to the paper below with a frown. She had been trying to read for half an hour, however the words wouldn't comprehend inside her brain. Her thoughts continued to drift back to Andrew and his men, the pain she had endured and the helplessness of the situation. The thoughts never seized no matter what she tried.

This recurring phenomenon had been happening ever since she first awoke in the hospital wing. After a week, Cassandra had been hoping that the symptoms might disappear but they only grew in size. Perhaps she would need to hold on for a few more days until her mind worked the way it was supposed to once again.

Someone passed by her room. Cassandra stilled, nerves coursing through her. It was only when the stranger's footsteps had vanished, that she was able to relax once more. Another peculiar element since the first day of her rescue - the thought of Andrew walking inside frightened her enough to lock the door at all times. The man was currently spending time in prison, but the idea was strong enough for her to tense up each time someone passed by her room.

Everything was quiet. Cassandra bit her lip and glanced toward the mirror on the wall. She had long since quit trying to read and placed the book on the nightstand. Her attention was focused on her thoughts once again. Ever since her imprisonment, she hadn’t once looked at her own face. Rapunzel had seemed overwhelmed when she had seen Cassandra all beat up the day of her rescue. The doctor had taken time to wash her up so perhaps now her features were looking the way they were supposed to.

Cassandra glanced back over to the mirror. Anxiety blossomed beneath her skin. She would need to look one day. With that thought in mind, the woman pushed herself up with a grunt and limped toward the wall. Steeling herself, she looked up into her own eyes and paled. There were still a few bruises and scars marring her face. A large cut ran across her left cheek and there were dark circles beneath her eyes. It was strange to think that this was the same person she had been looking at every morning in the mirror. Of course she hadn’t expected to see smooth skin but the sight was still shocking even to her.

_Andrew had made her look this way._

Anger boiled through her veins. Cassandra was suddenly overtaken by a flood of rage. The emotion was so encompassing that her hands were trembling. This was all his fault. Every thought, every bruise and every scar was his doing. The urge to hurt the Saporian overwhelmed her and sneaked into every fiber of her being. Her heart beat wild against her ribcage whilst Cassandra grit her teeth so hard they _hurt._

The mirror fell from the wall in a second. It broke into a hundred pieces on the floor but it wasn’t enough. Falling to her knees, Cassandra pounded the glass with the hilt of her dagger. Andrew’s dark eyes reflected into every piece, laughing at her misery. The mess was a representation of how he had made her feel - of what she had become. She was broken and it was all thanks to him. _Serpent!_

The longing to hurt him as well continued to jump to the forefront of her mind. With every hit, she imagined herself beating the guy up and crushing his soul in return. She wished to break every bone inside of him, wipe every smirk from his features. The idea of visiting Andrew downstairs in the dungeons rocked her frame with adrenaline. A smile blossomed on her features when she pictured herself advancing on him like a caged animal before she would lash out with her sword. Perhaps she might never act on these fantasies but they were enough to quicken her heart and keep her grounded.

She was exhausted by the time her wrist ached and strength left her. Cassandra glanced down at the shards with a frown. No matter how much she longed to punish the Saporians, she wasn’t like that. Rapunzel’s face popped up inside her mind, reprimanding her of this behavior. The girl would probably tell her that the strangers weren’t worth her rage - that revenge wasn’t a noble emotion to harbor.

Still, Cassandra wanted it so bad, she became repulsed from her own motivation.

She hit the edge of the bed with her back in shock. Blood leaked from her knees, the familiar sting enough to fill her eyes with moisture. Cassandra bit down on her bottom lip to prevent herself from crying. Imaginative Rapunzel was right - the Saporians didn’t deserve to have that satisfaction over her. They didn’t deserve anything.

Bile rose up in her throat. Cassandra held a hand over her mouth and swallowed the substance down. The realisation of what she had been hoping for settled in her mind. Cassandra needed to protect people, not hurt them. She wasn’t like the Saporians. Her father had raised a noble woman with a good heart. She would never deliberately wound a person, not even thieves and murderers.

Would she?

Cassandra hugged herself close. No one had seen what had happened. It might be a good idea to sleep and forget about this entire ordeal. She would probably feel better in the morning.

With that solution, the raven bandaged her knees and cleaned up the mess before crawling back into bed. It was already late and she would probably still be awake hours later but she needed to try and hope sleep would take her away. It was better to try being normal than give in to Andrew’s pleasure to keep her up. Even from a distance, he was still able to hurt her.

Cassandra fell into a deep sleep before a nightmare filled with red and pain decided to pay her a visit.

***

_"You haven't changed, Cassie. And here i was; thinking i would give you a second chance with me."_

_"In your dreams, bonehead."_

_"I would do as he says if i were you. This could get painful."_

Cassandra tightened the hold around the hilt of her sword with a growl. The sun was beaming on her sweaty forehead and her legs were trembling. It was only eight o’clock in the morning and she was already feeling like a mess. To get back in shape and hope to gain back a sense of normalcy in her life, she had decided to train today. Perhaps if she lived her life the way she always would, the thoughts might diminish and her emotions would grow to a normal size. So far nothing of the sort was happening though she was convinced there to be something that could fix her.

_“Trust me, Cassandra, it’s way easier if you would just tell me where your friend is.”_

_“Dammit, woman! Just answer the question!”_

_“What if i don’t want to save it?”_

The edge of her sword met the training dummy with great force. No hit was sufficient enough to quench the voices inside her ears. If she were to travel along with Rapunzel, she would need to do better than this. She had been trying for a while to perfect one of the easiest exercises of the book - a stance children were capable of handling - but she was having such a difficult time to perfect her own posture. At one point, she had blamed her broken leg but deep down she knew that to be a lie.

_“You’re only torturing yourself.”_

_“There’s no way you’re getting out of here.”_

A familiar fury clouded her vision. Cassandra was a warrior. Damn the Saporians and their dumb smirks! She despised every single one of them! Her heart beat wild inside her chest and her left hand was quivering around the weapon, however she persisted. Cassandra had always needed to fight through life. This was nothing new. She could do this. She _could!_

_“Where is the princess?”_

A scream left her lips before the training dummy landed into the grass. With clenched teeth, Cassandra tore through the doll with her sword. A large amount of hay poke through the clothed skin, every hit she landed pulling more of its contents outside. She managed to tear the dummy to shreds until it was no longer recognizable.

Cassandra hadn’t heard her father approach through the noise inside her head. The captain was at her side at once. His hand closed up around her wrist, preventing her from destroying any more parts of the dummy. “Cassandra! What’s wrong? What are you doing?”

She was heaving when she dropped her sword, the weapon becoming too heavy inside her hand. There were tears threatening to spill over once more but she refused to let them fall. “N-nothing,” she answered in a small voice. “I was just training.”

The man eyed the pieces around their feet in surprise. “Shouldn’t you rest some more? Your body needs a lot of time to recover.”

“I know,” she growled out, irritation clawing at her nerves. “But i’m going crazy if i stay in my room all day! I just needed to get out for once.”

“I understand.” He placed both hands on her shoulders, the pressure comforting. “Why don’t you go look for your friends? I’m sure they’ve missed you a lot.”

She shrugged. “Rapunzel has more important things to do right now.”

“Have you asked her already?”

“No, but what difference would it make? She needs to rule an entire kingdom now that her parents are recovering from the memory wipe. I can’t bother her.”

“I’m sure she could use your advice at the moment,” he replied with kind eyes.

Cassandra wasn’t sure if the blonde wanted to have such a failed excuse for a friend by her side. If that was the case, wouldn’t she already have come down and asked for her? The idea of Rapunzel thinking any less of her, made her feel sick. She hoped the princess would view her differently after Cassandra was back in shape.

“Alright,” she answered after a moment's hesitation. “I’ll go and see if i can find her.”

“That’s my girl.” The man pulled her into a hug before she could blink. It was a rare occurrence for them to embrace, however after the past week, they had been doing it more often. Cassandra didn’t mind. The contact brought her some comfort through the chaos of her mind.

She glanced down at her patched leg. It had been a bother to reach the training field on her crutches, but even more so to keep her balance without them. "Could you pass me those?"

He eyed her fallen crutch and handed it to her. It was embarrassing to ask for help, even for small issues. Cassandra was a proud woman, or at least she used to be before Andrew came along. Before she could grow furious once more, Cassandra shook her head and rid herself of the thought. He didn’t deserve her weakness.

The captain went to work after Cassandra made her way into the palace. It was a long end toward the tower. Usually, she would go through the handmaid's quarters, however nowadays she took a detour. It took her twice as long to reach Rapunzel but it would have to do. She had tried on multiple occasions to cross the hallway and walk past the room she had been locked inside, but her legs won’t go further than the vase at the start of the corridor. Perhaps after the memories had vanished, she would be able to stroll through these parts of the castle without care.

Cassandra was already tired when she made it upstairs. Rapunzel was busy scribbling something on a paper board whilst Cassandra walked inside. She was surprised to find the girl this quickly seeing as she seemed to be everywhere at once lately. It had been a while since they last hung out. Of course Rapunzel brought her food and visited her from time to time but that had been everything.

Cassandra ought to admit that she likely didn't act very inviting toward her friends, however deep down she craved the attention. It was pathetic so she never voiced the truth.

Rapunzel was so invested in her sketch that she nearly missed Cassandra. "Cass! You're right on time. I've come up with the perfect plan to get my parents memories back."

"I thought they had already recovered some memories of their royal duties?"

"That's true," the blonde replied. "But they seem to have forgotten about their love for each other. I just have to make them fall in love all over again and before you know it, they are back to normal!"

Cassandra eyed the drawing on Rapunzel's board in confusion. "Is that the earth exploding? What kind of plan is this?"

"That's the introduction to my great plan. If we don't do something now, my parents will fall apart and other couples will follow their lead, and soon all of Corona society will crumble. And you know what they say - as goes Corona, so goes the _world!”_

She couldn't help but roll her eyes. "You're over-exaggerating again, Raps. Corona won’t fall apart just because your parents aren’t in love anymore.”

“But they are! I just know so. The heart always remembers.”

Cassandra placed a hand on Rapunzel’s arm. “I’m sure it does. They’re remembering some things, right? Just give them some time to take everything in and they’ll know why they fell in love in the first place.”

Her words seemed to have the desired effect on her best friend. “You’re right. Thanks Cass.” Her eyes snapped toward Cassandra’s leg like she was only registering it now. “You can take a seat if you want. Oh! How about i get you some milk and cookies? Thanks to Pascal, i know how to make them just the right way.”

Pascal gave her a proud smile from atop her shoulder.

Cassandra was about to take a seat on the chair Rapunzel was pointing at until she recognized the familiar seat - it was the one Andrew tied her to before crushing her leg. An uneasy feeling settled over her so she took place on the edge of the bed instead. “I’m good,” she answered both on the seat and the cookies.

Eugene chose that moment to walk inside as well, his trademark smirk plastered on his features. “Sunshine, i need your honest opinion!” His eyes caught sight of Cassandra before snapping toward her injuries just like his girlfriend had done seconds ago. He appeared like he wanted to tease her about whatever he was going to point out about her before… he stopped. As a substitute, the man replied with a simple, “you’re not allowed to answer, Cass.”

She smirked in reply but deep down, Cassandra was feeling irritated over his hesitation. Eugene never paused to make fun of her. Something in his expression caught her off guard, like he had actually refrained himself from insulting her for _her_ sake. The idea that he of all people was treating her like a delicate flower made her feel angry.

"How should i write my name? Elegant-chic or messy and outgoing?"

"How about just like you always write your name?" Rapunzel countered. "Eugene, we're going to write our name in Herz Der Sonne’s diary for _us,_ not to show off to the world."

"Don’t be ridiculous. I just mean to show off to everyone in Corona."

Rapunzel sighed. "Cassandra?"

The woman shrugged in response. "I don't think anyone will be interested in the handwriting of the town's former thief anyway."

"Look what you did, Blondie! Cassandra is mocking me again!" Eugene whined, a hand pointed to the raven. Cassandra was smiling to herself. It felt good to tease him.

"Alright, it’s time for business!" The princess spoke up, her attention back to her drawings of the explosion. "My plan is foolproof! I just need you guys to decorate the horses with flowers. I've already told Max you're coming so he’s waiting downstairs."

"Decorate horses?" Cassandra repeated in question. "Wouldn't that be a little silly?"

"It may sound silly now but when my parents see the flowers around Max and Fidella's heads, it'll instantly set a mood and before you know it, they are back to loving each other!"

Eugene eyed Cassandra for a moment, his expression matching her own. "Alright," he replied after he snapped his gaze back to his girlfriend. "What kind of flowers do you need?"

Rapunzel held her paint brush to her lips in thought. "I suppose Hydrangeas would work."

"Perfect!" Eugene placed a kiss on her forehead. "I will stop by the florist while Cass prepares the horses. In the meantime, you can get your parents to come down from wherever they are."

Rapunzel appeared to visibly relax. "Thank you."

"No problem. We'll be back before you know it."

He was handing Cassandra her crutches before she knew what was happening. The woman followed the man out of the room and into the nearest hallway leading to the stables. Eugene could be the most lazy person she knew but when it came down to Rapunzel, he ran to and fro. It was a character trait that impressed her at times.

That impression was gone when he opened his mouth. "Well, Cass, i hope you've learned something from that."

"How to be extremely boastful and extravagantly vain?"

He gaped at her. "Excuse-me? I can't help it that you're terrible when it comes to being friendly."

She chuckled. "I think you're confusing friendliness with the two previous adjectives i just summed up for you."

Eugene led them into the next hallway with a frown. "You know what? I'm just going to let that one slide because-" he faltered, eyes snapping toward her leg once again. "Because you're wrong."

She rolled her eyes, a sour feeling nestling inside her stomach. He was treating her nicer because of her injuries. She had been having some doubts before but now it was crystal clear. Although those jokes would hurt, Cassandra wanted him to treat her normal.

They continued to walk down the palace. When Cassandra noted where they were headed, she blanched. "W-wait. Maybe it's better if we go through the kitchens instead."

Eugene didn't appear to note her panic. "We'll be out in no time if we head down the maids quarters. No worries, i'm an expert when it comes to geography."

Cassandra ignored his remark. Agitation was clawing too strongly at her throat to even answer with something witty. She scanned the hallway where so much had happened recently. It had only been a week since she last set foot on the second floor, however she was already having doubts.

Eugene was talking. It appeared like he had been for a while, but Cassandra hadn’t been paying attention. Varian’s crimson glue had been removed by staff, the shoes she had been wearing that day back around her feet. The breath stocked in her throat when they strode by a familiar wooden door, memories flooding her mind.

"-seems like a great idea. Obviously because it's mine. What do you think? No, wait! I forgot i don't really care." Eugene paused when he laid eyes on his friend. "Cass?"

She met his gaze with a start. "Huh? Oh, what was that?"

"I'll bring the flowers over to you when i’ve bought them."

"Right! Flowers!" She was pulled from her thoughts at once. "Meet me at the stables."

When they parted ways and she found herself all on her own brushing Maximus’ mane, the thoughts bothered her in full force. It was always worse when she had nothing to distract herself with. Why couldn’t she ever catch a break? No matter what she tried, the memories never left. What made this occurrence strange was that she wanted to be alone. Even though she despised the recollection, a part of her longed to be in constant isolation and just _think_. Of course she wanted to see her friends but the loneliness was too overpowering at times.

How much more time did she need before her brain was fixed? A small voice at the back of her mind whispered to her, uttering one single word that could explain all of her strange behaviour. However, she didn’t want to face that truth and ignored the sound.

Cassandra eyed Maximus with a smile instead. Horse riding sounded like a nice idea - something that used to calm her down all the time whenever she used to be upset. Perhaps she should ask Rapunzel to join her after the plan today.

The steed peered at her with a compassionate expression. Even the horses were showing her pity. Cassandra averted her gaze back to her work. “You’re a real hero, you know that? Thanks to you Hook Foot is healed.”

He whinnied at her. Cassandra pursed her lips at the sound, fingers tightening around the brush. “Don’t be ridiculous. I haven’t done anything noble.” He furrowed his brow at her before shoving his tale in her face. Cassandra whined and pushed the long strands out of her way. “Can you be serious for a minute? None of my plans to escape have worked! I thought i was capable of handling the situation on my own but all i did was help them capture Rapunzel. I’m…” she sighed. “I’m useless.”

The words felt bitter on her tongue. There had been countless times before when she called herself so inside her mind but she had never dared to speak them out loud.

Fidella joined Maximus’ protests by stomping her hooves on the wooden floor of their boxes. The noise was enough to make her shush them. “Alright, i get it! I’m a hero as well!” The statement appeared like a lie coming from her. “At least i was able to stall time like i had planned from the start.”

That seemed to satisfy the pair. Cassandra frowned down at her hands. Her thoughts drifted back to the room on the second floor, anxiety welling up inside her chest. There was one thing she hadn’t tried yet. Would it be alright to go up and take a look? She wondered not for the first time how the room appeared now that she was rescued. Eugene was still on his way toward her. Perhaps if she didn’t waste time, she could be back before he arrived.

No. She shouldn’t indulge in her strange obsession with Andrew and move on. Cassandra was capable to handle her dumb feelings on her own without dragging herself back to that place. Her eyes fixated on her task once again but her mind wasn’t letting the issue go. Her father had told her many times that facing your fears was the first step in overcoming them. It sounded great to walk back inside that place like a normal person. Perhaps if she managed to do so without breaking down, it meant she was alright after all and these haunting feelings were nothing but a trick of the mind.

Now that she viewed things in a different light, Cassandra was more than ready to get over herself.

The raven swallowed nervously. Her feet were carrying her back inside the royal palace before she could rethink the idea. Her heart pounded in her ears whilst she ascended the stairs to the second floor. Walking these halls together with Eugene was one thing, but standing here all on her own was something entirely different. The situation reminded her of the first time she had attempted to escape and a shiver ran down her spine.

She had walked these steps a million times before so why was she suddenly so afraid? Her hands were trembling when she halted in front of the right door and turned the doorknob. It was a relief when the room opened to reveal no one. The handmaiden living in these quarters was probably out working. Cassandra stumbled inside and analysed her surroundings. The floors had been cleaned and the furniture was back in place. A single bed had been pushed against the wall, decorated with a purple carpet underneath. She also noted a slim closet near the wall and a small table standing next to it, a set of books on top.

The normalcy of the room should have given her a sense of comfort, however the only thing she could feel was a strange hollowness. Perhaps she didn’t want any traces of the Saporians removed until they received a proper punishment. It was like her emotions had been shoved under the rug by wiping a sponge over the bloodied floor, annihilating every last piece of evidence she had ever been hurt. It made her feel angry and helpless. When all of her injuries were healed, there wouldn’t be anything left to prove her pain. Andrew had won once more.

Her hands balled into fists. _He doesn’t deserve your anger,_ she reminded herself. On that thought, Cassandra turned back around to leave when something caught her attention. She hadn’t recognized the chairs placed beneath the table before because they had been recently painted; however now that she was eyeing them, there was no doubt - the handmaiden had decided to keep the stool Cassandra had been restraint to. The seat was too familiar for her not to know.

A new flood of memories washed over her. Tears filled her eyes and her throat constricted from the emotions. It was too much. She had been alright to leave until now. Andrew’s face flashed in front of her, his expression angry and demanding, before a fist met her eye. Pain sprouted everywhere he touched her and no matter what she did, Cassandra couldn’t get away from him!

Fury filled her veins. _This is all his fault,_ she repeated inside her mind. If he hadn’t put her through so much torture, she wouldn’t be feeling so miserable now! The idea that he was still mocking her inside his cell lit a fire beneath her skin. None of this was fair. The room being cleaned, her blood removed and the chair painted over like a thorn in her side - a constant reminder of the humiliation he put her through. If there was someone who should disappear, it would be him!

The room was dripping red. Cassandra growled low when she dropped her crutches to the floor. Nothing mattered anymore than the single chair before her. It appeared to be mocking her, reminding her of what she had become - a failure. Cassandra was seething. Her left hand snatched the dagger from her belt before tearing a cut through the wood of the stool. Another one followed and another, pieces of wood flying everywhere. Just like the day she had destroyed her mirror, nothing she did was ever _enough_.

She imagined Andrew standing in front of her. Cassandra wanted to hurt him so bad. Her knife cut through everything she could reach, destroying the chair until there was nothing left. Two arms encircled her from behind. Andrew’s fearful expression morphed into a smirk when she couldn’t move no more. A scream ripped from her throat, her right leg kicking furiously to escape the hold. Hot tears slid down her chin and her chest hyperventilated from the emotions. Eugene shushed her sweetly whilst he brought them both down to the floor. His hands pushed her forehead against his shoulder in a warm embrace, keeping her there so she wouldn’t hurt herself.

Cassandra wanted to hate him for stopping her, for keeping her from hurting anything and seeing her so vulnerable but she was so tired. The fire inside of her was slowly fleeing and all that was left to do was cry into his shirt. The dagger fell from her grasp before her hands fisted in his clothes. Her breathing was too wild. She wasn’t able to suck in enough air to be comfortable. Eugene seemed to notice as well.

“Easy there,” he whispered low. “Follow my lead and take a deep breath.”

She could feel his chest move but the task was more difficult than he led on. Cassandra couldn’t help but cry miserably on the floor surrounded by wooden splinters. Eugene held her the whole time through her outburst. His hold was bringing her some comfort. She noted how different his touch felt to Andrew’s. Everything the Saporian did had been unpleasant. Even when he had cared for her in Rapunzel’s room, he still managed to make her feel uneasy. Eugene was the complete opposite. She never realised how kind he could be and how much she appreciated him for it. Perhaps she should be nicer too.

Cassandra managed to mimic his breathing after a moment. Her body had calmed down and she wasn’t crying anymore.

“You okay?” He asked when she pulled back.

The woman nodded, her eyes almost falling shut. “Just tired.” She eyed the mess around them and cringed. This wasn’t even her property. Now that she had calmed down, she couldn’t help but be surprised at her own actions. Cassandra had hoped to be ready to face her memories but it appeared she wasn’t if one chair could rile her up so bad. “I’ll clean this up.”

Eugene placed a hand over hers when she reached for a fallen piece of wood. “Why don’t you go and get some rest while i take care of this?”

She frowned through the exhaustion. “But i can help.”

“Of course you can but you don’t have to. It’s fine. I think sleep will do you good.” The guy helped her to her feet before handing her both crutches. “Do you want me to walk you to your room?”

Something inside her stomach twisted. Cassandra despised help from anyone, let alone the princess’ cocky boyfriend. Her initial reflex was to push him away and deny the fact that she had ever been tired in the first place but… she really wanted him to stay with her. After all this time of isolation, she had become so lonely.

So, swallowing her pride, Cassandra nodded and allowed Eugene to accompany her all the way down to the guard’s quarters. He opened the door and handed her a glass of water when she asked for it. Cassandra was so worn-out by the time he drew the curtains to a close and pulled the covers over her frame.

When he moved in the direction of the door, Eugene cast one final look over his shoulder to make sure she was okay before he left her with a smile. Cassandra fell asleep almost as soon as the door shut to a close.

***

The moon cast a soft glow onto the ocean’s surface, reminding her of the time Eugene took her to see the lanterns when she had first left her tower. Her first plan to get her parents together hadn’t worked out great. It turned out to be rather difficult to force a pair together who were differencing in so many things, but Rapunzel persisted. It was the heart who remembered after all and if they had managed to fall in love before, they could do it again. She was certain of it.

It would have been nice if Eugene and Cassandra had been there to lend a helping hand. When the horses hadn’t yet been brought outside, Rapunzel had taken it upon herself to check the stables only to find Maximus and Fidella unprepared. The flowers had still been on the floor instead of around the animals whilst her friends were nowhere to be seen. She had wanted to search for them but her parents had been waiting and so Rapunzel had gone ahead without the decorations. Perhaps if they had been in place, her parents would have had an easier time falling in love than they had now.

The girl shook her head. Her friends had never led her down before so perhaps something had happened on the way. The thought made her slightly ill. There had still been no word from either of them and it was already getting late.

Just when Rapunzel was growing even more worried, Eugene arrived next to her on the pier. “Sorry i’m late! How is everything going?”

She sighed in his embrace. “I suppose horse riding wasn’t their thing after all and dinner was a total disaster but maybe Lance can bring them in the mood on a boat ride.” She glanced back toward the dark waters in awe - her parents were seated inside a beautiful gondola while Eugene’s best friend played them some sweet tunes. Everything appeared to be perfect tonight. “The soft glow of lanterns, music… it’s a recipe for love!”

Eugene chuckled. “I mean it’s also kind of our thing.”

She couldn’t help but raise an eyebrow at him. “Oh come on, it’s still our thing.” Because it was. No matter how many people went sailing at night, such a scenario would always remind her of Eugene and herself.

“Sure, yeah, it’s just also their thing now too,” he answered. Pascal couldn’t help but sigh at him.

She hugged him closer, content to see her parents so at peace with one another. Eugene cleared his throat before speaking up once more, “i wanted to talk to you about Cassandra.” Rapunzel’s eyes widened upon hearing her friend’s name. “I think she’s not doing great.”

“What do you mean? The doctor told us that she was healing just fine.”

He shook his head at her, a hint of worry written on his features. He was being awfully serious - something that always managed to boost fear inside her heart. “No, i mean she’s not doing great mentally, like her spirit has been hurt as well. If i hadn't been there earlier, she might have destroyed the whole room.”

His words were like a bucket of ice water pouring down her head. Rapunzel had been so busy with her parents that she had forgotten about her best friend. What kind of person does something like that to the people they love? She was feeling so guilty.

“I think you should go and talk to her tomorrow,” Eugene continued.

Rapunzel bit her lip. “But i don’t even know what she’s been through exactly! She wouldn’t tell me when i asked. How am i supposed to help her when i don’t even know what happened?”

“Well, there is someone who’s been there with her.”

Rapunzel knew who he was referring to - Varian had been beside Cassandra the whole time. If there was someone who knew what she had been through, it would be him. Perhaps she needed to visit him tomorrow and ask about the events during the Saporian invasion. If she was able to know how to help Cassandra, the woman would be feeling better in no time! It appeared like she might need to assist more people than just her parents.

“Alright,” she answered with a nod. “I’ll go and talk to both of them tomorrow.”

He smiled down at her whilst he pulled her close. “You know you can always count on me as well. There’s no one here who’s claiming that you need to do everything on your own.”

“Thank you.”

They watched the gondola together for a while longer until a shadow fell over the lake. Rapunzel glared up to a large boat with a familiar flag. King Trevor was talking above Lance’s guitar solo before jumping into the water and saving Rapunzel’s father. She was already having enough of his antics and she didn’t even know what he was here for.

Frustration clawed at her chest when she pushed herself from her boyfriend. “I guess we need to take care of this first.”

Eugene grimaced with a nod.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You can always point out mistakes to me and i'll fix them. I wrote a dutch word somewhere instead of an english so i changed it 😅 i guess everyone can learn another language through my stories haha.


	7. Chapter 7

Varian's eyes widened when Rapunzel asked him to tell her about the events during the Saporian attack. She had sent him a message for them to meet, however the boy hadn't been keen on letting her inside his home. The events with his metal monsters and his father were still too fresh. Alternatively, he had opted to visit her in return. Rapunzel had been pleased to read he would arrive the very next day.

Varian was still staring at her like she had just grown a second head. His fingers were playing with the empty teacup Rapunzel had given him earlier. She waited to pour him a drink before she would spill onto his hands. "Varian, i need to know. Cassandra…" He snapped his eyes toward her at the mention of the woman's name. "She had a panic attack yesterday and i need to know what triggered her."

His lips were pressed tight before answering, "it's not a nice story. Even i have trouble remembering."

"I can handle it." She wasn't giving him much room to quit. First, she needed to know exactly why Cassandra was behaving so differently than usual before Varian could take a break. Of course she knew her friend had went through some torture - the bruises and blood patterns had been enough proof - but it was important to know what to avoid to keep the woman from panicking even more so.

"Alright," Varian started. "The first day Cass was brought in, Andrew had broken her fingers to make her talk. When that didn't work, the Saporians decided to drown her and see how long she would hold on before she could give away your location."

Rapunzel held her breath, the tank in the corner of the room returning to her mind the day of the rescue. She was already having a hard time hearing the truth and they hadn't even reached the end of the first day. To think that she herself had been alright all that time, made her feel guilty. "Go on."

Varian adjusted his posture in Rapunzel's chair, a hesitant look on his face. "I eh… I built an apparatus to keep my lab running on electricity. The Saporians thought it a good idea to convert it into a weapon and Andrew used it to hurt Cass. The results looked very painful. She had some ugly burn marks in her neck afterward. Sometimes i can still hear her scream in my head." He paused. "Rapunzel, i didn't know they would be using it on her. If i had, i would have never helped them!"

"I understand," she answered swiftly. "I'm glad you're back on our side."

He mimicked her smile. "Me too."

"What happened next?"

"I suppose i went to see her that evening to give her some food and medicine. I think the painkillers helped a lot for her hand."

Rapunzel grimaced at the memory of Cassandra's hand. It was one of the first things about her that had caught Rapunzel's eye and managed to make her feel sick. Nonetheless, she pushed those feelings aside for Varian to continue his explanation.

"Andrew never gave her much to eat which was the reason why i took it upon myself to share my meals with her. It was a bit awkward to feed her but there wasn't much i could do at the time. She was to never be removed from her chair."

"Wait. Cassandra spent an entire week _seated?"_

He nodded. "I'd asked Andrew to give her a bed to sleep in but he would only do so if she could answer him. Cassandra never did."

Pascal eyed her with a sad gloom. She was feeling the same way. Cassandra's furious outburst made sense now. Eugene had told her about the event and how the raven had single-handedly destroyed the wooden chair on her own. "Poor Cass… No wonder she freaked out the other day. Did she even sleep at all?"

"I would startle her awake sometimes when i opened the door but i don't think she slept a whole lot." He placed the cup back on the table and held his palms in his lap. "She almost managed to escape not so long after that. Of course if i didn't… she got stuck inside my formula before she could flee."

Rapunzel couldn't help but smirk. That sounded like the Cassandra she knew. Even though everyone was against her, she still managed to find a way to set herself free. Pride blossomed inside Rapunzel's chest knowing what her best friend had accomplished on her own.

"Andrew continued to hurt her before i helped Cassandra escape. The plan had almost worked if it hadn't been for him. I'm not sure what happened that night, only that Cassandra made it to town before Andrew got to her. Something must have happened while they were out because she returned with more blood on her than normal and she was completely out of it. She must have gotten the concussion during that time."

"It seems as though Andrew was the one who hurt her most."

Varian gave her a nod. "Sometimes, it appeared like he had an obsession with her. Instead of sending his friends, Andrew commanded we never talk to Cassandra only if we were allowed to and he would spend hours in her cell without a break. Clementine often went upstairs to get him out or else he might have never left."

The thought of Andrew hurting Cassandra so much was infuriating. It made her feel so angry. If she were to ever see him again, Rapunzel didn’t know what she would do. "Was there anything else?"

The boy pondered for a moment. “Oh! Right. He starved her after the escape. Cassandra went two days without food or water before she lied to Andrew about your location for my sake. He sent her to your room as a reward."

"My room?" She questioned out loud. "What difference does the location make when he just treated her the same way he did back in the old room?"

Varian shook his head with a tension in his ocean eyes. "I suppose he did when he dropped her off but a few hours later, i could hear Cass scream all the way down to the dungeons. He must have broken her leg then because her legs were fine when i had last seen her."

Rapunzel fell back in her chair on a heavy sigh. What Cassandra had been through wasn't nothing and it made sense for her to be stressed after the incident. Varian was quiet, his fingers fidgeting once more. His eyes followed her when she pushed herself up and strode toward the window. The sun was already setting above the horizon, bathing the landscape in soft oranges and yellows.

"Are you okay, princess?"

She startled from the voice. "I'm fine. You were right - it's a lot to take in." Their eyes met once again. "Thanks Varian. I think i understand the situation better now thanks to you."

He shrugged. "Anytime."

“There’s still one thing i can’t wrap my mind around,” she spoke up. “Why didn’t you just give Andrew the truth serum you have invented? The one you used on the palace’ staff months ago.”

He shrugged. “The thought had crossed my mind many times but every time when i wanted to act on the idea, i froze. Andrew might have killed Cassandra and you would have been found immediately so i kept it a secret.”

Rapunzel felt relieved to hear he had been on their side all along, wether he realised it or not. “I’m glad you didn’t.”

“Me too.”

She took in a breath before saying, "you know i'm still planning to uncover the mystery behind the black rocks and their connection to my hair. I promised to help you save your dad and i will." 

"You know i'm still planning to uncover the mystery behind the black rocks and their connection to my hair. I promised to help you save your dad and i will."

Something in his expression softened, like a heavy burden had just been lifted from his shoulders. "Thank you, Rapunzel. That means a lot to me. Not just for your promise, but for giving me another chance."

She smiled. "Do you need a place to stay tonight? There's room in the palace if you'd like."

"That would be nice."

***

"You wanted to talk to me?"

Rapunzel and Eugene were both inside the tower when Cassandra strode in. Pascal had come down earlier to fetch for her without an explanation. She was still tired from her fit yesterday, however Rapunzel was her priority number one. If the princess asked her to do something, Cassandra was at her side no matter how exhausted she was feeling.

The couple eyed her with apprehension. "Why don't you take a seat?" Rapunzel softly proposed.

Something about her tone made her feel nervous. "Is this about your plan the other day? I'm sorry i ditched you. Something… came up."

"No, no! It's fine. Don't worry about it. Eugene and i, we just wanted to talk to you."

Eugene appeared to hesitate. He snapped his gaze from her to his girlfriend without a word. Cassandra didn't like any of their mysterious behavior. "For the record: i was forced against my will." He earned a shove from her elbow in return. "Correction: _we_ are here to talk to you."

Pascal sighed from atop the table. Cassandra felt the same way whilst settling down on the edge of Rapunzel’s bed. "Cut the introduction and just tell me what's going on already."

"We've noticed you've been acting a little unusual," Rapunzel said, stepping closer to her friend. "Ever since you're back, you're being very distant and distracted. I'm worried."

She scoffed. "I'm fine."

"Don't give us that nonsense, Cass,” Eugene cut into the conversation. “You've had a huge panic attack yesterday. I've never seen you behave that way. In fact, i've never seen anyone act like that."

Cassandra rolled her eyes. Why did it feel like she was being called out on by her father? Was this what it felt like to have both parents be mad at you? It was annoying to say the least. "I guess you don't know me very well then."

Rapunzel sighed. "Cassandra, you know as well as i do that that's a lie. We just want to help you get better."

_"Better?"_ She spat. "I told you i'm fine! There's nothing to fix!"

"You're not doing okay and you know it. What you've been through was a big deal and it's normal for you to be tra-"

_"DON'T_ say it!" Her voice was shaking and moisture filled her eyes for the hundredth time. Rapunzel was about to speak the word she had been ignoring for forever. If she managed to voice it out loud, it would become true.

Eugene helped his girlfriend out by finishing her sentence. "Traumatized."

The room fell silent. Cassandra eyed her bandaged fingers in her lap through a blurred view. She was so angry. Her friends were bringing every emotion to the forefront of her mind that she had been battling with each day. She was feeling so exposed, so vulnerable - emotions she wasn't familiar with. This entire situation made her feel completely lost.

"Cassandra," Rapunzel spoke up slowly. She was approaching her friend with careful steps, almost like she was advancing on a wild animal. "We just want to help. Eugene and i, we care about you. Which is why i've been thinking about letting you stay here in Corona while we continue our journey."

Cassandra's eyes widened. Her head snapped up to both their faces. The breath stocked inside her throat and her ears were ringing. The situation had just become worse. She had done her best to train each morning and spend time with everyone to avoid a conversation like this. Everything Cassandra did all day was try her best to become _better_. What more did she have to do to prove herself? Couldn't they see that she was the same person before the Saporian invasion?

But… She wasn't now, was she?

A part of her had been damaged by Andrew's hands, tearing a piece through her heart. No matter what she tried, nothing would ever be enough to bandage her soul. She had been right all along - Rapunzel was viewing her differently because of her injuries.

Her left hand clawed at her pants when she spoke up. "Y-you can't do this to me. I've worked so hard for this and now you're taking everything away? That's so unfair!"

"I need you to rest and heal," her friend answered. "Not just physically but mentally as well and i don't think a journey full of stress and danger will help you with that. As much as i want you to be there beside me, it's not what you need right now."

Tears slid down her chin. Cassandra was feeling so unhappy, it stole her breath. A tightness settled on her chest even as she tried to keep herself composed. "P-please, i promise to try harder. I-i can get better. Just give me until my leg is healed."

Rapunzel knelt down in front of her, her hands holding her own. "It's not about your injuries, Cass. You need time for your spirit to heal."

"I'm not insane!"

"I never said you were! It's totally normal for you to feel bad after everything the Saporians put you through. I understand more than anybody."

A sob escaped her lips. Rapunzel squeezed her hands softly in hers whilst she smiled reassuringly. Cassandra couldn't contain herself any more. She placed her face in her palms and cried so hard, she grew herself a headache. It was like the whole world had turned against her. The last piece of hope that she had been clinging to, fled from her grasp. She wished to disappear so she wouldn't have to deal with any of this.

Rapunzel and Eugene settled themselves on opposite sides of her on the bed, their hands finding her arms and shoulders. "You don't have to do this alone," Rapunzel spoke up.

"Yeah," Eugene continued. "We will be here for as long as you need."

Cassandra shook her head, her curls blowing around her hands. "Y-you're leaving me behind," she stuttered out through her cries. It was a childish statement but it cut through her soul like nothing else.

Rapunzel brushed a hand across her back. "Well, how about we make a compromise? You can still come along with us if you promise to let us help you get better and be open about your feelings."

She sniffed pathetically, hope blossoming inside her heart once more. "You mean it?"

Both Rapunzel and Eugene nodded at her. "I won't joke this time," he answered with a smile.

She couldn't help but pout. As much as she wished for him to make fun of her, it would be better if he didn’t. She was still feeling miserable and jokes about the invasion would only make her feel worse. Perhaps it would be wise to allow people in on her feelings for once. Pushing them aside hadn’t seemed to work so far and Rapunzel had promised to take her with them on their journey if she did. Cassandra would respect her proposition even if it made her feel awful.

"Okay," she whispered after a long moment. Her cries had ceased and all that was left inside of her was exhaustion and defeat. There was no different path to take, no loophole to jump through. In the silence of the room, Cassandra realised she would need to let go of her pride and talk. "I might have some... problem."

Rapunzel chose her words carefully when she spoke up. "Do you want to talk about it?"

It was the same question she had been asked before. Her first reaction was to object and deny everything but her friends were eyeing her with such sincerity and compassion, that she felt secure enough to continue. Even Eugene was behaving like Cassandra's well-being was of the utmost importance.

Cassandra bit the inside of her cheek. "I'm just so angry all the time and i don't know what to do with myself."

"I understand," Rapunzel answered. "When i found out who i really was, i felt so angry with mother. So much so that i didn't know what was going on."

Her eyes widened. "What did you do?"

The princess shrugged. "Give myself time to process my emotions and move on. What else can we do?"

Cassandra had hoped there to be some sort of magical spell that could change her back to normal but Rapunzel's words made sense. It was difficult to forget about the trauma but if her friend had been able to move past eighteen years of abuse, she could get over one week of intensive torture. She simply needed to allow her friends in on her troubles, something that was harder for her than she cared to admit.

"Alright, it's already pretty late. Why don't we all go to bed and talk more in the morning?" Eugene proposed.

Cassandra nodded. Sleep sounded like a great idea right now. Her eyes were falling shut and the amount of crying she had been going through these past few days, had made her exhausted. The raven pushed herself up to fetch her crutches when Rapunzel shot a hand out to stop her in her tracks. "Do you want to stay here tonight? I have room for more than one."

She eyed the purple bed. The cushions were so soft, she had come to realize from sleeping on them before. Still, she was hesitant until Eugene spoke up once more. "I'll fetch your pajamas from your room."

He was out the door before she could object. "Great! It's a sleepover!" Rapunzel was smiling so wide, it almost seemed painful.

Cassandra was a little lost as to what to do. She stood in the middle of the room, glancing around herself in confusion. Rapunzel had just managed to cause Cassandra to be more open about her feelings and she would, the idea just made her feel uneasy. Now that they knew what was going on inside her head and what was hiding beneath the surface of her exterior, she didn’t need to pretend to be alright. Cassandra wasn’t able to smile or even laugh. Her body was weak and craved sleep.

Rapunzel grasped her by the shoulders. "Are you okay?"

"Yes," she answered almost automatically. When her mind had catched up to her words, she frowned and shook her head. "I don't think so."

"Would you want those cookies now?"

She couldn't help but smile at the naive question. "Sure. Why not."

It was late but Rapunzel didn't seem to care. Pascal eyed the two with a content smile before the blonde called him over. The three of them made it down to the kitchens on silent feet, making sure no one awoke from their steps. The palace always managed to feel different when the moon cast everything in a soft glow and night fell down on the earth like a thick blanket. Cassandra had always enjoyed the stillness.

Rapunzel and Pascal went to work as soon as they arrived at the kitchen. Cassandra eyed them from the other end of the stove. It was fascinating at times to observe her friend when she lost herself in one of her many hobbies. Rapunzel was a very magnificent girl. Even after eighteen long years of lies and torment, she still managed to smile and make people feel happy. Cassandra was the total opposite - after one week of pain, she was already falling apart and unable to spend much time with anybody.

It must be nice to be more like the princess.

Cassandra assumed that baking cookies would take more time to make but Rapunzel managed to do so in only a few minutes. Pascal was covered in chocolate and Rapunzel didn't look so clean either. The sight brought a smile to her face. "Some more stains and i'll start thinking you're a cookie yourself."

"At least i'm a tasty one!"

She laughed. The smell of baked goods floated through the room. Rapunzel collected the snacks into a bowl before leading them outside. Cassandra hadn't been hungry up until this point. Her fingers snatched a cookie whilst they walked before she could help herself.

Rapunzel smirked by her side but didn't comment. When they reached her room, one of Cassandra's pajamas was resting on the bed. She made a mental note to thank Eugene later(if she was ever in the mood).

The girls changed into comfortable clothes and settled beneath the covers. Cassandra grasped for the bowl of cookies between them and nibbled on a chocolate chip. They didn't talk much, there was no reason to. Cassandra was just glad to be in Rapunzel's presence without the pressure of keeping face.

Pascal nestled in-between his human friends. The raven smiled and brushed a finger over his small head. Rapunzel watched them with a fond smile. It had been a while since she last felt so at peace.

When they dimmed the lights and crawled beneath the blankets facing one another, Rapunzel spoke up, "i'm sorry if i have neglected you."

"You really didn't do anything wrong."

"Okay," she replied softly. "I still wish i'd been more considerate. If i hadn't been helping my parents all the time, i might have noticed something was wrong sooner."

Cassandra pulled the covers more over her shoulder. The will to claim that she was alright arose back to the surface but she swallowed the words. There was a promise to keep and she wasn't about to break it. "It's fine, Raps. Really. I should have said something."

Rapunzel didn't look convinced but she didn't press the matter. A yawn left her before Pascal mimicked the action. "Let's go to sleep," Cassandra mumbled.

The princess nodded and closed her eyes. Cassandra stared at her until her friend lost consciousness. She frowned. Sleeping had been difficult for a week so she wasn't sure if she would be dreaming within the following hour.

She turned on her back and stared at the purple ceiling. It was a better scene than the grey walls of her room. Tiny stars floated above them, accented by a few painted suns from Rapunzel's brush. In the low light of the moon, she could see the collected lanterns floating in the air. Dealing with insomnia was a whole lot better when she was lying here.

It was a miracle when Cassandra fell asleep after a while longer. Perhaps Rapunzel's sleeping face had brought her enough comfort to drift away herself. Though when she was finally able to sleep, another nightmare came along. Andrew was back. She needed to run and catch Varian's hand but the boy was slipping from her fingers. It took one blink before the scene changed. Cassandra found herself drowning. Her feet kicked uselessly to reach the surface, however her body was sinking deeper and deeper into the freezing waters. A stinging erupted in her eyes and sharp pains shot through her limbs. Her breath was gone. Water crept into her lungs and made her choke just like the day she had almost suffocated at the hands of the Saporians.

Cassandra shot awake with a start. Her bangs were wet and her heart beat wild. She hadn't been able to suck in air during her sleep - something that had happened before. Pascal cracked an eye open to peer up at her. She sucked in lungfuls of air, trying to get her breathing under control. Rapunzel was still asleep so she pushed herself to her feet and jumped toward the window using one leg.

The view from Rapunzel's tower was stunning. She had always wondered what the princess' room looked like when she was a child. The king hadn't allowed anyone inside, not even his own soldiers. Now that she was standing here, she was overwhelmed by the beauty of Corona. It was dark outside but there were hundreds of lights brightening the streets. Her body was relaxing from the scene alone.

Soft footsteps sounded behind her before Rapunzel appeared by her side. "Is something wrong?"

Cassandra shook her head. "I just had a nightmare. It's nothing."

"Do you want to talk about it?"

The same question brought out the same feelings inside of her. "No." Rapunzel gave her a pointed look and the memory of her promise revisited her mind once more. "What?"

"I can't really tell if you're being serious right now or not."

"Fine," she growled. "I've been having nightmares ever since… you know. I'm not sure how to get rid of them."

"What are they about?"

She frowned down at the world below. "It's always something else but the feeling that i can't breathe remains. I thought it was only in my dream until i woke up two days ago and noticed i hadn't been breathing for real either. That's scary."

"It sounds scary." Rapunzel followed Cassandra's exemple and averted her gaze toward the horizon. "You know, i've been thinking-"

"Oh dear."

"-and i wondered if you might want to see a psychiatrist."

"No."

"But i've heard they can help."

"I said no," she repeated firmly until she noticed Rapunzel's startled expression. "Sorry. I'm just not comfortable allowing strangers to hear my secrets. I'm already having a hard time talking to you guys about my problems. It just feels wrong."

Rapunzel took a hold of her hand. "I understand. If you ever change your mind, i can help you find one you're most comfortable with."

She smiled. "I'll keep that in mind."

Rapunzel eyed her from the corner of her eye. "I never thanked you for what you did for me."

"You don't have to. I just did what was expected from a soldier."

"No. You kept our location hidden from Andrew for me and everyone else in Corona. That takes a lot of courage so thank you."

She didn't know what to say. Cassandra felt like a liar if she were to indulge in Rapunzel's praise. Her friend noticed her persistent silence and turned back toward her. "Did i say something wrong? Was it the mention of his name? I'm so sorry if i triggered you!"

"No, no. Raps, it's fine." Rapunzel could be too sweet at times. "I'm just…"

"What?"

She hugged herself. Anxiety was back inside her stomach. Cassandra didn't want to do anything more than bury herself and never talk about this again. _A promise,_ she thought bitterly. "I don't like it when you compliment me about the invasion."

"Why?"

It was an honest question. Rapunzel was eyeing her with curious eyes. "Because i don't feel like i deserve it."

The princess appeared like she was going to faint. "What? If there's anybody who's more deserving of a compliment, it would be you Cassandra. You managed to bring us the antidote for Hook Foot, turned Varian back around and stalled enough time for us to get inside the castle and gather the royal guards. You're a hero."

Her feelings were all mixed up. "Well, if you put it that way…"

Rapunzel grinned, glad that she had been able to lift her friend's spirit. "I'll say it again: thank you, Cassandra." Her finger poked her in the side. "You need to answer."

Cassandra failed to hide her smile. "You're welcome."

They both chuckled, disrupting the silence of the night. "You think you're ready to sleep now?" Rapunzel asked.

She eyed the violet bed, a longing growing in her heart. "Yeah."

Rapunzel held her arm over her shoulder to assist Cassandra while she jumped on one leg. Pascal had been waiting on them from his corner when they arrived. The girls crawled back into bed and shuffled close to one another. "Goodnight, Cass," Rapunzel whispered softly.

"Goodnight, Raps."

This time, there were no new nightmares to haunt her but only sweet dreams of golden stars and friendly faces.

***

"Trevor says he respects inter-kingdom law, but i know that he's up to something. It's just figuring out what."

Cassandra swallowed the last bite of her bread when Rapunzel spoke up. Everyone of her friends had joined her and the king around the breakfast table outside for a friendly gathering, but Cassandra was pretty certain the girl wanted to discuss the affairs of king Trevor's visit with them. It was readable everywhere on her features. Rapunzel had told her everything about the night before when Trevor asked queen Arianna out for a boat ride. Cassandra could admit that the situation smelled fishy.

Eugene was grinning beside the king, his fingers busy wiping the egg he had received to eat an hour ago. He had been trying to break it but the king wouldn't have it. Cassandra chuckled when she noticed him before he scowled at her. _Idiot._

"Dad!" Rapunzel spoke up from across the table. "How can you just sit there? Don't you want to go with them?"

The king appeared to be a little lost. It was strange seeing him this way. "The sea makes me queasy. Besides, even if i were to join them, how would i best Trevor? He has it all: a thirst for adventure, a barge, a pet seal. I haven't a barge, nor an adventure thirst, nor a seal."

Cassandra rolled her eyes to herself, Varian looking equally bothered from the seat next to hers. She hoped the royal pair received all of their memories back soon because it was a chore having to listen to him mope like this. Her father had a hard time as well dealing with the affairs of Corona on his own without the guidance of the king.

"Nor do you have to sail hundred miles out to find a couple of sea lizards! Up high!" Eugene said all of a sudden, holding his hand up in the air for the king to slap. The man didn't do any of the sorts and he was left to hover in the air. Cassandra couldn't help but snort at him. "Not a word."

She smirked. "I didn't say anything."

"But you were about to, weren't you?"

She shrugged. "I guess we'll never know."

Rapunzel's eyes widened when an idea seemed to hit her. "Wait. Max, may i see your Corona law handbook?" The horse did as he was told and pointed her toward a specific page. Rapunzel gasped in alarm. "Uh, he's not taking her to see sea serpents. He's taking her outside the inter-kingdom waters."

"Um, yeah, 'cause that's where the sea serpents are," Lance spoke up before averting his gaze toward Cassandra's plate. "You gonna eat the other half of that?"

"Ugh," she grumbled and handed him her dessert. He didn't seem to care about her annoyance. Everyone in their group had learned to accept her moody answers by now, something she appreciated. It felt nice to feel like she belonged once more.

"Laws don't apply out there." Rapunzel snapped her book shut with a furrowed brow. "Not even marriage! He's going to try to marry my mother. We've gotta catch that boat!"

Everyone was racing toward the palace before Cassandra could blink. Varian was the only one who had decided to stay put next to her. She eyed the crutches next to the table and frowned. There was no way she was going to catch up with them judging from her injuries.

Rapunzel seemed to realize so too before she turned back around. "Oh! Cass, should i-?"

Cassandra waved her off. "It's okay. You guys go on ahead."

"Are you sure? Because i can help if you want."

She smiled. "Go on and save your mother from that airhead, Rapunzel."

The girl grinned before she was out of the garden. Cassandra's smile fell the moment she disappeared. It was still frustrating to stay behind because of her body.

Varian fiddled with his cutlery when he spoke up. "You okay?"

She was answering that question a whole lot nowadays. "It's fine. I'm sure Rapunzel will tell me all about their trip when she gets back."

He nodded before hesitance jumped onto his features. "Cass, i wanted to apologize for what i've done to you."

He was the second person who found it necessary to apologize for reasons unimportant to her. "It's fine, Varian. You helped me in the end so i'm not mad anymore. Besides, i can understand now that i know why you partnered with… you know."

He dropped his fork onto the table. "Yeah, i know. Thanks for your kindness."

Cassandra was starting to become agitated. Varian was staring at her again with that same intensity he had done two weeks ago so she bumped a fist against his shoulder to snap him out of his trance. "We both got out of there thanks to Rapunzel so if you need to thank someone, it would be her."

"You're right," he answered. "I did so when i was talking to her yesterday."

"You did? What about?"

He suddenly seemed nervous. "Oh! Ehm, she… She wanted to know about Andrew."

Her eyes widened. "Why would she want to hear about that scum?"

"She needed to know what you've been through so she could help you better."

Cassandra blew out a breath of air, frustrated at her friend's secret agenda. It was logical for her to go to Varian for information about the Saporian invasion if Cassandra never opened her mouth to speak. Still, hearing about Andrew continued to make her feel angry despite Rapunzel's motivation to help. She was slightly feeling better thanks to the intervention from Rapunzel and Eugene yesterday, though her feelings were still screaming in her mind. However, it was the first time after days that she was feeling like she might be heading the right way to heal.

"I'm sorry if you didn't want me to-"

"I'm not mad." She really wasn't. Varian was kind and had helped her a lot during her captivity. Cassandra was more than grateful to have him in her life. Now that she was looking at him in broad daylight, she noted how healthy his face appeared. "You care to help me today clean up the stables? I know it's a lousy job but we could treat ourselves with the last of Rapunzel's cookies afterwards."

His eyes lit up. "Sure!"

Just when they wanted to push themselves up, a maid came running toward them. She was carrying a box with a red bow on top. "Cassandra, this came in your mail earlier."

"Thanks." She eyed the box in confusion. Had rapunzel bought her something? Why hadn't she just handed it to her this morning when they woke up? Her curiosity was spiked. With quick fingers, she opened the box before her world collapsed.

Varian gasped when he looked down at the contents of the package. "Is that…?"

She bit her lip to prevent herself from screaming. Her bloodied sweater was resting inside the box, the one she had lost. There was only one person who could have known about its location. Cassandra swallowed before lifting the item in the air. It was definitely her own - she could recognize the familiar fabric anywhere.

"I don't understand," Varian said slowly. "I thought Andrew got captured."

She glared down at the sweater. "Me too."

"Wait, what's that?"

She followed his gaze toward the bottom of the box. Written in pencil, it said: _'where is the Lady-in-Waiting?'_ without any explanation. Cassandra stared down at the letters, reading them over and over until she had memorized every swirl. It was a message only she could interpret - now that Rapunzel was back, Andrew wanted to bait her out of her tent and finish what they had started. There was no denying it - he was still out there somewhere, waiting until she continued where they had left off.

Cassandra gasped for air and pushed herself from the table. She fell from her chair with a grunt. Varian was kneeling in front of her with a worried frown. "Cassandra? Are you okay? Say something!"

"I…" The words were stuck in her throat. Her friend was saying something else but his words were drowned out by a roar in her ears. One hand clawed at her throat whilst she gasped for air. "I-i can't-"

He understood. The boy appeared to be a little lost, though he remained calm. His hands came up to rest on her shoulders, a pressure that managed to ground her and calm her beating heart. "It's just a sweater. Everything is alright."

She shook her head. "H-he's coming for me. Maybe he's watching right now."

"You're not making any sense."

She was the one this time who grasped him by the shoulders. "I'm not safe, Varian! Andrew is going to _kill_ me if i don't do something!"

"What?" He blinked at her in shock. "He's not even here! There's no way he was able to sneak into the palace undetected. The royal guards are everywhere."

He was right. Cassandra was overreacting. Just because he had managed to deliver a package to her, didn't mean he was a wizard and could crawl through walls. _Get a grip,_ she thought furiously. Andrew being out there didn't make him all-powerful. She was strong as well. At least she hoped to be. Now that she had come to accept the truth about her trauma, Cassandra was feeling rather weak compared to her past self.

"You're right," she mumbled after her panic had seized. "I'm sorry."

"Don't be. Andrew is a creep after all."

She chuckled however her smile fell when she remembered the box. It loomed up above her on the table, staring down at her like a silent thread. With shaking fingers, she reached out and took a hold of it. "I need to speak with my father."

"O-of course," he answered awkwardly. "I guess we can eat chocolate any day, am i right?"

Her mind was running too fast for her to laugh. Without another word, she left him alone and marched into the palace, the package tucked beneath her arm whilst she stumbled forward on her crutches. It was time to get some answers.


	8. Chapter 8

"You lied to me!"

The captain looked up from his desk in surprise. "Cassandra, what-?"

"I thought you’d arrested Andrew but he's still out there, isn't he?"

The man glanced between her present and his daughter's fierce gaze. The longer he remained silent, the more irritated she became. "We've captured every single one of his friends but only he managed to escape. I can assure you that i'm doing everything in my power to find him."

"I bet," she growled. "Would this be of use to help you in your search?"

The crusted sweater landed without a sound on his papers. Cassandra watched her father's face contort to horror when he eyed the blood. "What's this?"

"You know darn well what that is - the sweater i lost during the Saporian attack. Andrew was kind enough to give it back to me.” She took a deep breath. “There may be some clues on there that could reveal his location to us."

His fingers hovered over the sweater but never met the discolored fabric. "Look, i'm sorry. I should have told you about him."

"Why didn't you?" Her voice had lost some of its bite. "Why didn't you just tell me he escaped?"

"Because you never asked and since you were still healing, i thought it best to keep you in the dark for a while longer until i was sure you could handle the truth."

 _"Humpf."_ Of course she knew her father only meant good. He knew her so well that she hadn’t been able to hide the trauma from his watchful eye, though it would have still been pleasant if he had been honest with her from the start. Now that she knew Andrew was still free, her emotions were skyrocketing. The idea of him sneaking up on her and hurting more bones was paralyzing.

He seemed to look right through her. "Sweety, i am trying my best to find him and put every last one of the Saporians to justice. They won't get away with what they've done to my daughter."

Her lower lip trembled. Now that she was losing her fire, Cassandra was feeling defeated once again. The captain strode around his desk before enveloping her in a hug. She dropped the box and pressed her face in his chest, loving the contact. No one was around so she was able to act like a child without a care. He chuckled and held her closer.

"Am i forgiven?"

She laughed. "Depends. Can i stay here for a while and help you with your research?"

"Of course."

Cassandra was pleased to assist her father. The two of them were hunched above files and scribbled notes, wholly losing the world around. There wasn't much helpful material to track Andrew's steps. It was a mystery how he had managed to escape Rapunzel's tower. The balcony was too high up and there hadn't been a rope nor a missing article to assist him in fleeing anywhere. Footprints were found right at the start of the forest where the stones of the bridge morphed over to soil but that had been it.

Cassandra was confused. If only she had been conscious the day of Rapunzel’s return. If she could find out how he had escaped, they might be one step closer to finding him. It was impossible to vanish through walls. There was no way he knew magic, did he?

She rid herself of the possibility. It was still too early for such preposterous ideas.

Working a case was doing wonders for her troubled mind. There had already been a couple hours and not one thought had bothered to knock on the door of her head. It felt swell to focus on one thing alone for a prolonged period of time. Somehow keeping busy with the subject of her trauma managed to calm her. Using her pent up energy for good held a healing effect in contrast to thrashing every object she ran into.

A knock pulled the pair out of their trance. "Come in," the captain called out to the person standing on the other side of the door.

Rapunzel poked her head inside. When she noticed Cassandra, her eyes lit up and she walked in all the way. "Cassandra! There you are. I've been looking all over for you." Her gaze snapped toward the paper filled desk. "Are you both busy? I'm sorry to interrupt. I can stop by later."

"It's not a problem, princess," he replied. "Cassandra was just in need for a break."

The woman frowned. "Hey! I can go on for hours, you know."

"Oh, I know which is why I'm forcing you to relax."

Rapunzel shared in his laughter. Cassandra wasn't pleased with their amusement though she didn't voice the opinion. "Fine," she said. "But i'm not done with this investigation."

"You know where to find me."

She plucked the box from the floor and headed for the door. The sweater was left with her father for further research. At least that’s what she told herself. Perhaps she couldn’t stand to look at it any longer, seeing as fleeing felt great. It had been easy to touch the garment during her anger, however now that she had cooled off, it took more willpower to look at her own blood.

The box appeared heavier underneath her arm compared to this morning.

Rapunzel was grinning too broad when they were walking through the hallway. "You won't believe what happened today! A sea serpent brought my parents back together! They are starting to remember things and it's all because they got to spend time together in the heat of the moment! I was almost tempted to thank king Trevor for his plan to woo my mother. Otherwise, it could have taken me weeks to get the two back together."

Cassandra gaped at her. "You fought with a sea serpent? Man, I wish i'd been there."

"Don't worry. We'll just have to sail out again one day and steal a mother's egg."

"What?"

Rapunzel waved a hand in front of her face. "Long story," she said. "So, what was that all about, huh? I didn't know you had decided to work again."

She shrugged. "Me neither. I've just been helping my dad with the Saporian case to find out about Andrew's whereabouts."

Rapunzel paled from the words, guilt written everywhere on her delicate features. "Cass, i-"

"It's fine. Really. I suppose you wanted to protect me as well?"

The girl shrugged kindly. "I was going to tell you if you'd asked but that never happened and when i was finally willing to do so, it turned out you were dealing with stuff and i didn't want to make things worse! It took a lot of effort to keep my mouth shut."

Cassandra was still feeling slightly bitter about her family's secrecy. No one had dared to inform her about Andrew. Months might have passed until she found it needed to ask someone about the Saporians. Still, they had done so out of love so she wouldn't hold this against them. It was enough to be furious with Andrew all the time.

"What's with the present?"

Cassandra had almost forgotten about the package. Now that she was eyeing it once more, she couldn't help but grow anxious. "I need to talk to you. Alone."

The two of them headed for the tower and huddled close. "Why all the secrecy?"

Her fingers twitched around the gift. "Andrew sent me this today. It contained my lost sweater. I've left it with my dad for his research."

Rapunzel was speechless for a couple of seconds. "Are you sure he was the one who had it?"

"Positive.”

"Why would he even send this to you? It's not like he cares whether or not you receive your sweater back."

"Because it's more than just a gift. Andrew sent me a message as well. Take a look at this."

Rapunzel squinted when Cassandra showed her the bottom of the box where familiar words had been written. _"Where is the Lady-in-Waiting?_ What does that even mean?"

She bit her lip and glanced aside. It took a lot of effort for her to talk about this with anyone. "It's meant to challenge me. He wants me to go out there and fight him to see who would be the better warrior. I'm sure he's waiting for me somewhere just outside of Corona."

"How can you be so sure?"

"Trust me, Raps. I am."

Rapunzel knit her brows together in thought. "Alright, that he's out there doesn't mean he can get to you so you don't need to be scared."

"I'm not scared!" Her friend didn't appear to be convinced. "Fine, maybe just a little."

"You should tell your dad about this. If he knows Andrew is hiding somewhere outside Corona, the guards will have a better chance at finding him."

Cassandra turned around, the box weighing heavy in her hands despite its light appearance. "I've been thinking… What if we used myself for bait? I could travel outside the city and lure him out so the royal guards can arrest him."

The princess gasped in alarm. Her hands found Cassandra's shoulders in a heartbeat. "Are you _crazy?_ You have nightmares because of him and now you want to risk your own life just so we can catch him sooner? I'm sure the captain will find him eventually if we just trust in his abilities."

"I know," she sighed. "Perhaps i was just hoping to… Never mind."

"What? Tell me."

She blinked to keep tears from falling. "I thought that if I confronted him, maybe I would feel normal again."

"Oh Cass." Rapunzel's eyes were dripping with sympathy. She plucked the box from her hands and placed it on the bed. Cassandra was enveloped in a hug one moment later. "These things take time. Believe me, when i saw the tower again last year, it did more damage than good. I think it's best for you to let your body heal and give yourself a break. Before you know it, your mind will follow."

She chuckled through the heartache. "Are you my psychiatrist now?"

"You can pay me with lots of hugs."

She was still feeling a little lost but the heavy load had been lifted from her chest. "Thanks Raps."

***

Cassandra had been honest with Rapunzel when she had admitted to being afraid. Now that she knew Andrew was still on the loose, her nerves went through the roof. She hadn't told anyone yet, deeming it unnecessary if making sure she carried a knife inside her boot everywhere she went and remained close to people.

Her insomnia had worsened over the last few weeks. Even though her sword was resting next to the nightstand and a dagger beneath her pillow, she was still feeling paranoid. Owl had decided to sleep on the headboard so she wouldn't feel alone. His presence was very welcome but the thought of Andrew walking inside was overwhelming. Fear was clawing at her throat, burning her veins until the thoughts in her mind were like raging fire. Nothing she tried ever extinguished the flame scorching her soul piece by piece.

What had once been a noble woman ready to fight anything alive, had become a cowering mess beneath the blankets.

Cassandra turned around in her bed for the umpth time that night. Her mind was playing tricks on her - causing her to see evil eyes and shifting silhouettes in the dark. The question of how Andrew had escaped re-entered her mind. She had been helping her father crack the code but nothing pointed them to the answer. It was like he had disappeared through fog.

Another hour passed by without sleep. Her fingers inched closer toward the weapon hidden underneath her pillow, the metal a comforting weight in her palm. Andrew was haunting her and he wasn't even around! She wished to hurt him once more though the fear prevented her from further pondering these ideas.

It would be nice to see Rapunzel. The princess was asleep but still Cassandra wished to be near her friend. Her presence was soothing and the fact that she carried seventy feet of magical hair was an added bonus. Andrew wouldn't stand a chance against her power.

It would be nice if he didn't stand a chance against her as well. It wasn't like Cassandra had lost faith in her own abilities, but in her abilities against Andrew in particular. Her imagination transformed him into a smirking giant who found pleasure in torturing her body and mind. A fist knocked her to the ground and one glimpse from his dark eyes rendered her useless to fight. She knew this to be a lie, however her mind continued to spit these images at her.

Owl hooted from above when she pushed herself to her feet. The gleam of his eyes caught her off guard in the dark of the room. She would have lost her footing if it hadn't been for her quick reflexes. "You startled me." Another hoot followed by a motion of his wings. Cassandra’s face screwed up. "I'm just going for a walk. I can't stay inside my room any longer." A smile formed on her features when he answered her. "Of course you can come with me. I wouldn't have it any other way."

She fastened her sword around her back and took a hold of her crutches. Cassandra was still wearing her day clothes in case something were to happen and she needed to run. It wasn't comfortable sleeping that way, simply safer.

The hallway was abandoned when she opened the door. Cassandra held her breath and stalked onward, Owl floating someplace near the ceiling. Her throat went dry now that she was standing outside. If she wouldn't have Owl by her side to warn her of approaching dangers, she might have never exited her room.

Her feet carried her in front of her father's door. She was almost tempted to knock until she refrained herself from doing so. It would be wise to keep him asleep after the work he had done recently. Besides, she wasn't a child any more. Even if there was a criminal on the loose, she refused to lower herself into sleeping together with a grown man because of some trauma.

She continued her journey and walked up to the staircase. Owl followed her all the way up into the highest tower of the palace. Two guards were stationed at the start of the corridor. The woman stalked by slowly with a sheepish grin, suddenly feeling embarrassed appearing this way in the middle of the night. Much to her relief, they recognized her and allowed her entry to the royal quarters.

The familiar carpet brushed beneath her shoes before a set of tall doors loomed up in front of her. This was probably a bad idea. Rapunzel needed her sleep as well. Perhaps she could just check up on her friend just to be sure she was alright.

Cassandra opened the door a few inches and peered inside. Rapunzel was fast asleep in her bed, Pascal passed out beside her on the nightstand. She bit her lip. "Rapunzel?"

Silence greeted her in return. Owl flew inside and settled down on top of the bookcase. Cassandra commanded him to come down at once, however the bird feigned sleep. She knew he was listening from the way he held his head high. "No snacks for you tonight," she whispered through clenched teeth. He peered down through one eye until both closed at last.

She snapped her attention back to Rapunzel in frustration. Owl could remain here if he wished. Cassandra was just going to take a look at her friend before leaving. With her crutches resting against the wall, the woman quietly jumped forward. It was relaxing to watch the princess breath evenly, her hair displayed all around her head. She appeared so peaceful, something Cassandra was jealous for.

She glared up at Owl for the second time whilst settling on the edge of the bed. _Stupid animal, stupid nightmares, stupid Andrew,_ she thought sulky. Why did it appear like everyone was out to make her life miserable? Her gaze turned back to the princess before a smile formed on her features. Perhaps some people were still on her side. Her fingers stretched out toward the girl before she could mull over the action.

The sleeping bump beneath the covers moaned. Cassandra startled from the sound. A pair of emerald eyes blinked back at her. "Cassandra?" Rapunzel groaned out through her sleep infested mind. "What are you doing here?"

She was on her feet in a matter of seconds. "I'm sorry! I didn't mean to wake you up. Just go back to sleep. I'll show myself out. Come on, Owl!" Her friend gave a hoot though remained seated on top of the cabinet. Was he trying to make her stay on purpose?

Rapunzel pulled at her sweater. "You can stay here tonight."

Hope blossomed up inside of her. "Are you sure? Because i can just go back and let you-"

"I'm sure." Rapunzel opened one end of the blankets. "You know where to find my pajamas."

"Thanks for the offer but i'm not sure if i want to be wearing one of your pink nightgowns. No offense, Raps."

The girl shrugged. "None taken. Just get in because I'm freezing."

Her entire face lit up. She ignored the satisfied glint in Owl's eyes and rid herself of her boots and weapons before settling beneath the covers of Rapunzel's bed. Being here always managed to clear out the voices in her mind and bring her rest.

"Goodnight Cass."

Her eyes were falling shut before she could give Rapunzel a proper answer.

***

"Do you want to take me out horse riding?"

Rapunzel blinked up from her sketch in surprise. "But your leg is still hurting."

"I know but i can just hold on to you while you drive. We don't have to gallop. It can just be a calm outgoing outside the city."

The princess didn't appear convinced which was new. Rapunzel was always up for adventure though now it almost seemed like she didn't want to head outside. "I don't know, Cass. The doctor told you to take things slow the first couple of weeks and your dad didn't want you to go outside, remember? Now that we know Andrew is out to hurt you, i'm not sure if we should test faith and make it easier for him to catch you."

She scoffed. Cassandra was starting to have enough of the Saporian. She wished they hadn’t informed her father of his message. "Andrew this, Andrew that. I'm starting to think you’re on his side."

Rapunzel's eyes widened, her hand tightening around her colored pencil. "I'm saying no because I care about you."

"Not enough it seems."

The words were spoken before she could take them back. Hurt crossed over Rapunzel's features. Cassandra felt guilty the moment she snapped her eyes back to the girl. "I'm so sorry. Rapunzel, I didn't mean that."

"I know," she answered, her shoulders sagging. "I'm sure you're just frustrated because you can't do anything right now with your injuries and I know you're hurting inside. Trust me, I know what it feels like to have someone keep me confined for safety measures. Just… Don't make me be that person."

Cassandra glanced down toward her lap. She was forcing Rapunzel to act like mother Gothel, something that obviously weighed heavy on her. The princess was being a good friend and the only thing she did was mope and complain because she didn't want to remain inside for a few more weeks.

The whispers returned. Cassandra knew she couldn't bother Rapunzel no longer with her dumb feelings because the other used to have it so much worse. It was almost a crime to forget.

"I'll just… go see what my father is doing."

A hand closed up round her wrist, stopping her in her tracks. "Wait. What if we went for a picnic instead this afternoon? It's a beautiful day and i could finish my drawing from outside."

She nodded. "I'll meet you in the gardens around twelve."

Cassandra slumped against doors after they closed. She longed to head out and explore parts of the forest. Of course Rapunzel was right: her body was still hurting and Andrew had the upper hand if he discovered her like this, however the thought of going outside clawed at her heart. It had been too long since she had last been outside the royal palace. Most nature she encountered nowadays were the fine trimmed rose bushes in the gardens and tiled ponds - not exactly what you call a wild woodland.

Perhaps she could spend more time working on her research. Her father was still nowhere near discovering Andrew's whereabouts and it was only eleven o'clock in the morning. The footprints had long since faded from the Coronian land but she knew their precise location. If she were to use the tunnels beneath the castle, she might be able to sneak up to the right place without having to encounter her father or Andrew. She wasn't about to disobey Rapunzel's wish for her to remain inside. If she chose a safe route that could lead her through the city undetected, it might appear like she had never left in the first place. This way she didn’t put herself in danger.

_Brilliant._

Cassandra stumbled toward her room, feeling lighter now that she had a mission planned out for herself. There was no need for the maps inside king Herz Der Sonne’s diary. She had been perfecting her own ever since she was a child. Not only that, but every street, secret cave and mysterious pool no one had penned down before in history. Even secret entryways inside people’s homes weren’t unknown to her. There was no way she would land in danger if she carried them around.

With these maps, the guards of Corona would have a huge advantage during an invasion like the Saporian case. It was only a matter of time until they were finished to perfection and she would be able to present them to her father. The pride in his eyes was enough for her to grow excited.

Owl was inside her room when she arrived. Cassandra ruffled the feathers on top of his head, knowing full well the bird couldn’t stand the caress. Served him right for ditching her yesterday. A snicker left her when he blinked in bewilderment. Cassandra stepped toward her desk and opened the hidden drawer inside. Her eyes widened upon seeing the storage space.

It was empty.

Like a whack to the head from Rapunzel’s frying pan, Cassandra felt immobilized. “My maps,” she muttered softly, catching Owl’s attention. “They’re gone!”

Her thoughts were rampant. “I don’t understand. They were right there! I’ve spent so much time making them. I-” her words came to an abrupt halt when a concept invaded her mind. How did Andrew escape Rapunzel’s tower? She glanced out of the window and narrowed her gaze. What if he snuck in her room during her captivity and managed to find them despite the secrecy of her drawer. There was a doorway behind the fireplace in the tower. If he had read her inscription of those tunnels, he might have actually been able to flee and it was all her fault.

The idea that Andrew had once invaded her space and stolen something too precious to fall into Saporian hands was chilling. The man was able to sneak into the palace any moment he wished. All this time, she had slept on her own when he could have kicked the door in and finished the job.

Cassandra held a hand over her mouth to keep herself from throwing up. Of course the castle was swarmed with guards and she kept close to other people, but she was still scared. No matter what she tried to convince herself of, the thoughts inside her mind continued to thrust lies at her - she wasn't safe, had never been. Cassandra was going to die at his hands eventually. It was only a matter of time until she found herself to be completely alone and when that day came, Andrew would be there laughing whilst he handed the final blow.

Her chest was hyperventilating anew. Cassandra fisted her hands in her hair, trying to get her breathing under control. _He wasn't worth it,_ she repeated inside her mind, though nothing she did silenced the roaring onslaught of voices.

 _Rapunzel_. Cassandra needed her best friend now more than ever.

It was a chore to walk around the palace on her crutches searching the girl. Rapunzel was nowhere to be found. It was only when she remembered their deal earlier, that she managed to find her friend in the gardens. Eugene was there as well, unpacking lunch from a woven basket. The scene almost resembled a fairytale. It would have been idyllic if she hadn't been so panicked.

"Cassandra!" Rapunzel spoke up when she noted her friend. "You're just on time. I've had Eugene help me prepare some banana cream pie for you because i know it's your favorite." Cassandra halted in her steps when she neared the picnic blanket. Her stomach growled when she lay eyes on the delicious food at her feet. "Also, i've been thinking about our conversation earlier and i'm willing to take you out horse riding. Eugene and Max are coming as well. Isn't it exciting?"

"I… yeah, that's amazing. Thank you."

Rapunzel's brow furrowed. "You're trembling. What's wrong?"

"Andrew stole my maps - the ones i made of Corona,” she answered whilst taking a seat. “That's why he managed to escape that day. He used the exit behind your fireplace. I penned it down right after you told me you’d discovered that entrance."

"Wait, hold the penny! You have maps of those tunnels?" Eugene questioned.

She rolled her eyes. "Not just the underground system but everything in the kingdom. I've spend years perfecting my notes. If Andrew uses those, he could find a way inside, free his friends and strike. There will be no stopping him!"

Rapunzel held her hands up. "Okay, calm down. Let's just think about this: Andrew has maps that could help him invade the kingdom again and possibly destroy everyone." She took a deep breath. "We have to tell your father about this."

"NO!" Both her friends gawked back at her in bewilderment. Cassandra didn't lower her voice when she continued speaking. "Please, don't tell him. He will never trust me again! I-i'll think of something."

"Cass, this is serious. If Andrew has a map about Corona that could help him take down the kingdom, we need to tell the captain."

"I know! I just… _argh!"_ It had taken her so long to make those maps. This would have guaranteed her place in the guards though because of Andrew, everything went downhill. She was growing angry once more. Her life would have been easier with him out of the picture. "Just give me a few days to come up with a plan! I promise to fix this."

The princess pursed her lips in contemplation. The silence was dreadful. “Fine, but just because i trust you enough to make a good decision. If you don’t have a solution before Friday, I'm going to your father.”

“Thank you!” Relief flooded her.

“So, can we enjoy our lunch now or no…?”

Cassandra didn’t give Eugene’s question much thought and stuffed her mouth with a few grapes. It appeared like she wasn’t about to go horse riding any time soon.

***

“Cass, why don’t you go to bed? You look awful.”

She glared up at the princess’ boyfriend, not in the mood for his advice. Eugene wasn’t the one responsible for the imminent downfall of the kingdom. She had tried to come up with a plan to steal the maps back from Andrew but she didn’t even know where he was currently residing. Her mind was running a million miles a minute because her life was about to fall apart if Rapunzel informed her father of her mistake and she was still dealing with fear from the trauma. The universe was pressing down on her shoulders and she couldn’t deal with any of its vile games.

“Leave me alone.”

He snaked his arms over one another, obviously bugged by her tone. “How long has it been since you last had some shut-eye?” Her mind was too slow to even remember. Eugene took her silence for an answer. Exhaustion must be visible on her features because he didn’t back down no matter how mean she was. “If you don’t go to bed, i’m going to force you.”

She scoffed. “I’d like to see you try, champ.”

It would have been wise to work with him - there was a promise to keep after all - but she was just so fatigued. It was already late and the library was completely abandoned. It was a miracle she had been discovered at all between the stacks of books.

Eugene pulled her up by her hand and held an arm around her back when they walked toward her room. She was slowly growing tired of her dull walls. Purple was everywhere in the tower, a color so rich and vibrant - it submerged unclean thoughts in a layer of plum. At this late hour, Rapunzel’s tower would be bathed in starlight, making the lanterns appear to be flying and carry her far from the ground until she could no longer see the palace below from her soft cloud.

A longing grew inside her heart just thinking of the space.

Eugene pushed her down on her own bed and pulled the curtains to a close. There was no moonlight in her room, nor shooting stars, nor flying sunsets. Cassandra sighed from the edge of the bed. Owl appeared to gloom as well. “Cass, why don’t you just try to sleep? You need to rest some day.”

“I’m not-” a yawn betrayed herself. “-tired.”

The man shook his head. “Nice try. Maybe next time, leave out the part where you almost collapse.”

He didn’t understand. No one did. Cassandra didn’t have time to sleep with Andrew being outside, ready to attack at any moment. “Piss off.”

“Yeah, see, i know you’re just being mean to get me to leave so i’m staying.”

He was right which infuriated her to no end. Eugene ignored her whining whilst he fluffed her pillow and secured the blanket around her shoulders. She wasn’t even lying down though he didn’t seem to care. “Don’t make me remove your shoes because that’s crossing a bridge.” Cassandra glared down at her lap. “Come on, sleep already.”

“No.”

“You sound like a child.”

“You sound like a mom.”

He puffed his chest, displeased at her words. “What if i stayed here while you slept? I can protect you better than the bird.”

That pulled a laugh from her. “First off: i don’t need anyone to protect me. Secondly: Owl is a way better bodyguard than you’ll ever be.”

“Auwch! Defeated by a bird who can’t even wield a sword! Cass, you’re wounding me.” Owl appeared indignant by the conversation, though Cassandra was humoured by the look in both of their eyes.

“Good.”

“Alright, fun’s over. Now sleep.”

“No.”

“Fine, i’m outside your door whether you like it or not.”

She was too slow to stop him in his tracks. The former-thief shut the door behind him and remained standing in front of her room. Cassandra held her ear against the door and sighed. There weren’t footsteps in the hallway so he was really keeping watch like he said he would.

The woman frowned before falling down on the mattress. Perhaps if he was willing to guard her door, she might actually try to sleep. There was the thought of Andrew overpowering Eugene and barging into the room, however she could admit that the prince wasn’t a lousy fighter. It would take much for him to surrender.

Besides, Cassandra was a light sleeper. If something were to happen, she would be ready to fight.

_Hopefully._

The room faded into nothingness before Cassandra woke up once again. Everything was quiet except for her mind. Andrew was still haunting her. It was that moment Cassandra realised she would need to take action into her own hands. Time passed quickly and if she waited any longer, it might already be too late.

Cassandra needed to find him before Andrew did her.

Her initial idea jumped to the forefront of her mind - the plan she had introduced to Rapunzel. Cassandra might have a chance at finding the Saporian if she were to venture outside the palace walls and wait for him to appear. The princess would be devastated when she found out, but what choice did she have? Sleep stayed away, her traumatic thoughts were spreading through her brain and Andrew had the power to wipe Corona from existence.

Rapunzel was expecting her to come up with a plan so this was going to happen.

Mind set, the warrior strode toward her weapons closet and fastened her sword around her chest before she decided to carry a bow and arrow with her as well. Her body was still healing, though better. It wouldn’t hurt so much to move on her own without her crutches, but she couldn’t rely on her legs to run right now. If she wished to win from Andrew, Cassandra would need to rely solely on her other skills.

There was no turning back now.

Owl hooted from behind her. “Are you coming, or what?”

The animal appeared hesitant though he flew out the window after some prodding. Cassandra grimaced when the door creaked. Eugene was sleeping outside against the wall. It was a relief when she managed to sneak right past him without waking the guy. It was the first good thing overcoming her that evening. Cassandra didn’t believe in signs but this one made hope blossom in her chest.

Her leg hurt, contorting her face into a grimace. It might have been better to walk with her crutches though she wouldn't be able to manœuvrer around swiftly. Cassandra grit her teeth to stifle a pained groan. Her feet brought her toward a painting at the end of the hallway at a slow pace. She put a hand on the wall to steady herself whilst her other fingers searched the right stone. The hidden entrance opened up in front of her, revealing a dark tunnel. This time, she had brought a candle with her to light the pathway.

It was dangerous walking through Corona's maze without a map. Cassandra knew a few tunnels from mind so she continued to walk the path she remembered. It was a while till she reached the place Andrew's footsteps had been found - the start of the bridge near the forest. Cassandra limped out of the exit and called for Owl. The bird let out a hoot, letting her know that the area was clear.

Traces had long since vanished from the soil though Cassandra figured it still worth to take a look for herself. Perhaps luck would be on her side and allowed her to find Andrew before he attacked her. It would be a huge advantage if she discovered him first.

The night brought new sounds. The woods - a lively place filled with adventure and excitement - now loomed tall above her like a silent threat. Her heartbeat quickened and her hands went cold. Maybe this had been a bad idea after all. There wasn't anything visible in the low light of her lantern and it was already late. Cassandra grew queasy from the idea of coming clean to her father but perhaps it was the best course of action.

She shook her head. _No._ Cassandra needed to pursue her plan. It wasn't in her nature to give in to fear without trying first. Besides, Andrew might not even be around. It was possible that he had left the country weeks ago since she hadn't ventured out of the palace once after receiving his package.

She allowed herself a moment of peace whilst she stood still and collected her thoughts. There was still anger beneath her skin, however the thought of a life without fearing Andrew was enough to make her relax somewhat.

Still, she was itching for revenge, something she wouldn't obtain if he was gone.

She kicked a pebble with the tip of her boot. How was she ever going to find peace within herself if she couldn't confront the man? How was she even expected to fight if she cowered from the idea alone? Cassandra was still so tired.

Owl hooted above her in the sky. Cassandra had been too invested in her own thoughts to react quick enough. A pair of arms circled round her from behind and a hand pressed a napkin to her nose before she could call for help. The attacker didn't release his hold on her whilst she tried to kick free, only tightened the grip on the gag. A hideous stench filled her nostrils. Cassandra was forced to inhale until she regretted the action. A headache formed behind her skull and she grew dizzy in a matter of seconds.

The forest around her morphed into a blur of shapes. She tried to fight the hold before the world turned to darkness.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Not my best chapter but a necessary one before the big finale. I still hope you enjoyed.


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The final chapter! It's finally here. I've been a little busy the past couple weeks. That's why it took me longer to finish. Anyway, enjoy!

Rapunzel was feeling guilty about the day prior. It was difficult telling Cassandra no when all she wanted was to take her out and have fun. It had been too long since her friend had last seen the forest lining the city. They used to find adventures each day before their journey began, though now the only excitement happening inside the palace were the discussions between Stan and Pete.

The princess pressed her lips into a straight line and stalked forward in the direction of the guards quarters. These were trying times for Cassandra. Not only had she been through enough sorrow to last a lifetime, she was being treated like Rapunzel's past self - something that weighed heavy on her chest. Rapunzel knew first hand what isolation and a parent keeping you inside for safety measures did to a person. She could still recall the claustrophobic pressure on her whole frame and feel the sting behind her eyes whenever watching the sunset through her window.

Of course Cassandra wasn't treated so harshly, but she was still feeling bad because of it. Rapunzel simply knew so.

So, after thinking twice about Cassandra's request, Rapunzel was willing to throw caution to the wind and head outside. The cool air would do them good and Andrew wouldn't be able to attack the two of them together. She was confident in their abilities as a team.

The hallway was abandoned except for one individual slumped against the wall. Rapunzel walked forward in alarm until she noted her boyfriend. "Eugene?"

The man blinked awake, his usually pristine hair a mess and shirt crinkled. "Huh? What-what happened?"

"It appears like you fell asleep in front of Cassandra's room,” she answered rather self-evidently. “Is everything okay?"

Something popped in his back when he tried to push himself to his feet. "Ow! Everything hurts."

"Eugene?"

His face was still set into a pained scowl when he answered, "I forced Cassandra to bed yesterday when she refused to sleep. I'm guessing it worked 'cause she hasn't woken up yet."

"I knew you cared!"

She couldn't stop the chuckle from crawling past her lips when he beheld her in astonishment. "I do not! Cass is just more annoying than usual when she's not well-rested."

"Hmm-mm."

His eyes narrowed into a fine line. "I'm serious!"

"Of course you are," she joked whilst knocking on the familiar wooden door. It was still peculiar for Cassandra to sleep past eight in the morning. "I love you."

Her words managed to extinguish the fire from his handsome features. "Alright, i forgive you."

They both shared a laugh before their attention snapped back toward the task at hand: waking a possibly very grumpy woman from her blissful nap. Rapunzel waited for a silent moment until a few seconds had passed. _Strange,_ she thought. Her knuckles knocked once again only to receive the same response. "I'm going in. Why don't you wait outside while i check up on her?"

"Fine," he blew out through his teeth. His posture resembled that of a child instead of the adventurer she sometimes had the pleasure whitnessing. Either way, Rapunzel loved both versions very much.

The door wasn't locked, unlike it had been for weeks. Rapunzel was growing slightly worried from the persistent silence inside the room. "Cass?" She mumbled softly until she took note of the bed. It was empty. Her eyes widened, an uncomfortable weight settling in her core.

Eugene snapped his gaze up from his nails when she exited. "Cass isn't in her room."

"What? She managed to sneak past me? _Good gofers!_ She's so going to rub this in my face later!"

"Let's go and look for her."

Cassandra had disappeared more than enough before. The amount of times Rapunzel found her alone in a secluded part of the gardens or out feeding the horses in their stables, were too much to even count. Nonetheless, the mysterious weight inside her stomach grew in size the longer her friend remained missing. Perhaps she had eaten something bad or the weather made her feel queasy but the idea that something had happened to the woman was brooding at the back of her mind. Even Eugene appeared to be more tense than usual.

The couple set one foot outside before a panicked hoot from above caught their attention. Owl flew down to a windowsill and rested his claws on top. His expression held a fear that made the breath in Rapunzel's throat catch. "Owl? Is something wrong? Do you know where Cassandra might be?"

He seemed to nod. Pascal took it upon himself to translate the bird's high pitched tunes and squeaked something in return. Rapunzel understood almost immediately. "Cassandra is in danger! She went after Andrew alone but he got to her first. We need to find her right now!"

Eugene gave a curt nod, his brow set. "Let's take the horses. We'll reach her faster that way."

While they were running toward the stables, their hearts beating inside their throats, Rapunzel couldn't help but wish for Cassandra to be alright. She would not hold back this time when she comes to stand one on one with the Saporian.

***

Cassandra groaned when she awoke. There was a bad taste inside her mouth, something akin to soap and old socks. Her head throbbed and every muscle in her body was sore. Had she been doing sports the previous day? She couldn't recall ever doing so and how would that explain the ache behind her skull?

Slowly, her eyes blinked open and scanned the area. She was seated in a clearing of the forest. A tent had been set up a few feet away and there were remnants of a campfire. The wood was still smoking. She wondered if Eugene had forgotten to put the fire out last night because she couldn't remember anything from the day prior. Where were her friends anyway? The camper was nowhere to be seen and the forest was silent.

That was the moment she took notice of the ache around her chest. One glance downward and Cassandra sucked in a sharp breath. She was tied to a tree. There were ropes looped around her sweater, cutting into her body up to the point where breathing became difficult. The sensation was so familiar that it brought instant tears to her eyes.

Andrew had kidnapped her.

_No,_ she thought miserably. This couldn't be happening. Not again - not after the screams and scars marring her skin. Not after days long worth of healing and nightly talks with Rapunzel.

It had been _enough._

It surprised her how truly scared she was of the Saporian. The fear was encompassing, causing her to shiver pathetically. Where was Owl when she needed him most? There was no one around to help her. Cassandra was completely alone, restraint and rendered useless just like all those weeks ago.

She stomped a foot on the damp grass, fury joining the fright inside her veins. After all this time - the loneliness and hurt - she was so done with Andrew. Cassandra shouldn't be afraid. She was a warrior for crying out loud! Not some tortured dog that waited silently for his beating even though it could bite. It was time to fight back.

She took in a deep breath. Her chest was reversing to a healthy rhythm and the clouds in her head dissolved. Cassandra was through cowering beneath blankets from the thought of Andrew's menacing glare and the hour-long silence stretching on because she just couldn't do anything but sit still and think of nothing other than the invasion.

_In for four, out for four. Repeat._

A pair of feet padded across the grass. Cassandra snapped her eyes up to meet Andrew's haunting gaze. A shiver ran down her spine. It was infuriating that he still managed to make her feel so vulnerable just by standing near.

"You're finally up," he spoke up with arms filled with firewood. They dropped to the ground before he stopped in front of her.

Cassandra couldn't hide her emotions. She eyed him with large eyes and swallowed thickly. Andrew had kidnapped her for revenge, so much was clear. Using a sedative was meant to prevent a scene and sneak from Corona's watchful eyes. The fact that she was still alive could only mean that he planned to take her out whilst being awake. There was no fun killing her if she were unconscious.

_Sick jerk._

"At last we meet again. I was starting to worry you'd grown scared and weren't coming anymore."

Fire lit beneath her skin at his words. "I'll show you what real fear is, imbecile! Untie me and fight!"

He laughed down at her. "Unnecessary. I have you exactly where I wanted you. In a few seconds, you'll be dead and Rapunzel will find you worse than she did all those weeks ago. _I win."_

Silence.

The entire forest seemed to be holding its breath. Cassandra grit her teeth so hard, she might actually break them. His confidence and the victorious gleam on his features were enough motive for the flames inside her veins to grow to an immense blaze, burning every cell to a crisp and licking her insides with a painful heat. She was even more angry than when she had destroyed her mirror, training dummy and the chair in the royal palace.

Andrew had the audacity to stand before her and laugh after the pain he had inflicted on her. Cassandra might have been scared, she would not back down without a fight. They were going to find out who was the best out of both of them right now! If she were to die anyway, it would be better doing so trying.

The man snatched a dagger from his belt, the same one he'd used on the bridge before she failed. The memory alone was enough to cause her to lose her mind. "NO! I'm done with your bullcrap! You really believe that killing me while i'm restraint makes you the winner of whatever dumb game this is? You're a real loser if you do so. We'll never know who's better if i can't even defend myself so untie me and fight in a fair battle!"

Andrew narrowed his eyes at her. Cassandra was drowning beneath his gaze, but she held herself firm. "Or are you too scared?"

He scoffed. "Doesn't seem like a fair fight to me. Your leg is broken and you can't use your dominant hand to wield your sword."

"And who's fault would that be?" She snarled through her teeth.

That made him chuckle. "Yours really for working against me. If you'd just talked, i wouldn't have lowered myself to those standards."

She growled. "You would have killed me from the start! Don't try to deny it!"

"I'm not denying anything." The man knelt down on his knees and brushed a hand across her cheek. An uncomfortable sensation washed over her, reminding her of her time in captivity within Rapunzel's room. "Oh, Cassandra. You're right. It would be a shame to kill you if we didn't settle this once and for all. I'll keep one hand behind my back to keep this a fair game."

She tensed up when his knife ventured closer toward her chest until the ropes fell loose around her hips. Cassandra ignored his stare and pushed herself up. The woods spun for a couple of seconds. Whatever she had been drugged with, was still affecting her system. It took her a moment to find her balance and remain standing.

Everything was different. Now that the two of them were faced with one another without prison bars or restraints to keep them parted, the reality of the situation was slowly seeping in. One of them was going to die today - something they had been working to ever since his first letter. Cassandra was going to give this fight everything she had no matter the consequences.

They were going to fight using the same weapons. Cassandra limped up to her cast aside sword and took hold of the hilt. _In for four, out for four… Repeat._ She could do this. She could! No matter how many lies coursed through her mind, she was going to win because she was a warrior!

The sun painted patterns onto the grass through the leaves of the trees. Cassandra blew her bangs out of her eyes, her hair already damp with sweat before the fight could truly unfold.

"So," the man spoke up. He was pacing the ground like a lion eyeing its prey. "I'm sorry to disappoint you, Cassie, but I won't be holding back on you just because your leg is hurting."

She chuckled low. "I wasn't counting on it, _Hubert."_

Andrew's eyes flashed red. "Don't call me that!"

She couldn't help but smirk at his frustration. The man readied himself before charging forward. Their swords met halfway, the sound of scraping metal simultaneously comforting and nerve-wracking. Cassandra was having trouble standing her ground with her injuries. Though Andrew was attacking with a different hand as well, he was still fighting with much more strength despite the sloppiness of his movements.

Cassandra went through every move of the book, trying to get her opponent off-balance. Andrew lashed out toward her before she blocked his hit and kicked him back with her boot, almost successfully having him lose his own footing. She was losing strength too quickly for her liking, her body still weak. At one point, she fell down to the grass before rolling sideways to avoid the tip of his sword. The weapon dug into the mudd where she had been seconds prior until their weapons were meeting once more.

Cassandra was still kneeling when Andrew pushed against her sword. The sharp edge traveled closer toward her throat. More sweat formed on her brow but she succeeded in looping her sword round his own to create an opening in which she could run off toward the treeline of the forest. Andrew’s low chuckle sent shivers down her spine. In a few swift moves, she sliced through the surrounding brush to slow his steps. Her plan appeared to work since she could hear several growls and grunts from behind when the Saporian moved over the fallen foliage.

Another idea jumped to mind when she caught sight of a large boulder sticking out from the ground. Cassandra crawled on top of the wet stone and tried to remain standing on her aching legs. Not a moment too soon. Andrew arrived on the scene and attacked with a shout. This might have been more difficult if she hadn’t been trained so well by her father. She held herself strong and met his blow with matching energy. Now that she was standing high, she was having the upper hand.

That didn’t lessen the pain in her wrist, though, and she lost grip on the handle of her sword. Cassandra jumped back down and collected the fallen metal, right on time to avoid another blow directed at her head. The raven hid behind trees and jumped from one spot to another. She was exhausted by the time she ended up in the same clearing they had left before. He seemed to notice as well, a broad grin forming on his features.

She was gasping for air, her lungs burning. It would take a miracle for her to win, she realized sourly. Andrew fought with determination and a heat she hadn't seen on him before while she herself was unbalanced both in mind and body. It didn't surprise her when she fell backwards from one blow of his sword. Her own weapon slid across the land out of her reach. Andrew raised the glinting metal above his head, ready to strike. She shut her eyes and awaited the final blow.

Nothing of the sort happened. Instead, a pair of hands slid round her throat and _squeezed!_ Her eyes widened to stare upon Andrew's malicious eyes. Her feet kicked over the grass whilst she squirmed helplessly. Every evil thought that had ever plagued her re-entered her mind - accusing her of another failure and reminding of evil words between stone cold walls. Moisture filled her eyes because she knew she had lost once again.

_I win._

Oxygen left her at a rapid pace, her lungs screaming for mercy. Then, like a beacon through a fog filled night, her father's features popped up in front of her. His lips were moving slowly, making it difficult for her to interpret his words, but she was starting to understand their meaning: fight. Rapunzel followed before Eugene and Varian appeared in the clouds behind Andrew as well. Every memory of time spend together training or laughing together with her friends and family envisioned behind her eyes, the feelings a mixture of something akin to happiness and comfort.

The recollection morphed into one long play in which the previous word was being repeated so many times that she couldn't help but mumble it as well. Fight, fight, fight. "F-fight," left her lips on a soft breath. Cassandra grit her teeth and looped her arms over Andrew's before screaming, "NO!"

With one move from her body, she managed to slide on top. Andrew blinked up at her in surprise. Cassandra raised a fist before punching his cheek so hard, she hurt her own knuckles. It wasn’t enough. It had never been. Her hand met his over and over again until a large bruise formed on his features. She lavished in the pain of her enemy, a wild thrum brooding beneath her skin and filling her veins with a passion so raw and toxic that it made her head spin. It was her time to hurt, her time to inflict scars on smooth skin.

When she deemed her actions enough, Cassandra grasped a hold of her fallen sword and raised the weapon above her head, the metal glinting in the low sunlight. Fear coursed through Andrew’s eyes. _Good,_ she thought victorious. He deserved to be scared for once. The weapon flew through the air, his body tensing at the approaching threat, before… she stopped. There was something in his gaze that reminded her of herself back when she had been restrained to a chair without anyone to help. The realisation was like a cold shower washing over her and left her feeling more empty than before. She wasn’t a murderer, not in the least. What Andrew had done to her was unforgivable but if she were to continue in her rage, Cassandra would lower herself to his standards and be no better.

The fire that had burned her insides for weeks was gone. She was done being angry. She was done with the hatred and done with her own self-destruction. It was time to move on and show him who she really was.

Andrew’s eyes opened once more after the tip of her sword met the ground beside his head. A few birds dared to spread some tunes through the trees, sound slowly returning to the woods. Cassandra was heaving in lungfuls of air after pushing herself up and dropping the blade.

"I win."

Andrew narrowed his gaze up at her. "You didn't even kill me. How can you be the winner?"

"Because i'm nothing like you. That seems like every reason to win.”

She went to collect her bow and maps from his bag, Andrew forgotten on the grass. There was a strange peace settling over her. Somehow, she was viewing him through a different loop. Andrew wasn't the terrifying monster she had claimed him to be. He was just a pathetic man who loved to hurt people with a better heart. She couldn't help but smirk. He didn't even fight that well. His technique could use some polishing. Had she been afraid of nothing all this time?

Cassandra felt like soaring. It felt great to let go of the past.

A familiar voice greeted her from across the field. Rapunzel and Eugene were running up to them with Owl in tow. She turned and greeted them with a weak wave of her hand, sleep overtaking her now that the adrenaline flooded from her grasp. When Rapunzel reached her side, she hugged her so tight, Cassandra might suffocate. Emerald eyes widened upon seeing something over Cassandra’s shoulder. The princess lashed out with a golden strand of hair before disarming Andrew from his weapon. Eugene leapt onto the scene to hold their enemy in a vast grip.

Cassandra laughed, the sound startling the two. "Attacking behind my back? Don't you have any honor at all?"

Andrew was eyeing her with a dark glint in his eyes, fury rocking his system. The Saporian was growling out swear words, all with the intention to hurt Cassandra. Rapunzel growled low, her frying pan ready in her palm, before the cooking utensil met his face. Both Cassandra and Eugene stared at her in bewilderment. “What?” Rapunzel asked with an innocence only she could pull off. “I’ve been meaning to do that ever since he stole you from me. Please, don’t tell my dad.”

"Well," Eugene spoke up after a moment when he placed Andrew's arms behind his back, his attention focused on Cassandra. "I see you've got the situation under control."

She couldn't agree more. Andrew was knocked out cold, his body limp on the damp ground. Eugene pulled the restraints tight around the man’s wrists before walking over to join Rapunzel for another hug. Cassandra held her friends close, stress seeping from her trembling muscles. She was so glad they were with her. “Let’s get out of here,” she spoke up. “I’m getting tired of looking at his face.”

Rapunzel and Eugene couldn’t agree more.

***

“Ready to go?”

She nodded at Eugene. “I’m just going to check the food cabinet for Shorty. Otherwise we might need to look for supplies in the middle of nowhere again.”

He laughed. “I’ll leave you to handle that task. In fact, I'll leave all annoying tasks over to you.”

She showed her tongue to him, eliciting a gasp from him in return. Cassandra stared after his retreating back with a fondness in her eyes she would never allow someone else to witness. It felt good to be back. After her friends had found her weeks ago, they had arrested Andrew. The man would be spending time with his buddies in one of the most guarded facilities outside the city, far from her reaches. Now that she was able to breath again, Cassandra had been able to heal properly. Of course there were still nightmares and degrading thoughts from time to time. There was no power on earth to silence her mind but she wasn’t feeling so miserable all the time. Not anymore.

Confronting Andrew had been the worst and best experience in a long while. Seeing him again had made her question her path in life even more so, though knowing what he really was made her feel strong. The fact that her body was back to functioning added to the euphoric sensation. She was a warrior by heart and no man would ever make her question that truth again. Her father had told her so as well when she had woken up the following day.

Cassandra was checking the horses' condition and their reins, making sure the entire wagon was in great condition to travel for a long period of time. A figure appeared in the distance. Rapunzel waved a hand out before coming to a stop at her side. “I knew I'd find you here. There is something I've been meaning to give you a while ago.”

A golden medallion was thrust in her gloved hands. The design resembled Rapunzel’s painting style and the violet tint of the ribbon made her think of the princess’ favorite dress. She couldn’t do anything but keep her eyes on the glinting metal. “Did you design this?”

Rapunzel nodded, a proud light in her eyes. “I wanted to give you something special for what you’ve done for the kingdom. Dad agreed to give you a medal that showed off how important you are to us. How important you are to me so i had Xavier help me in creating an entirely new medallion. It’s now the official symbol of loyalty and you're the first one to receive it.”

Her fingers brushed over the carved sun and flowery edges, almost like she was making sure the item wouldn’t fade into thin air. “Raps, i don’t know what to say.”

“I’ll talk then - thank you, Cassandra. For your help and for being a great friend. I’m glad you’re coming with me on this journey.”

She refused to cry. “Thanks, Raps. Really. I’ve been meaning to thank you as well. These past months haven’t been easy and even though there were times that i wanted to be mean, you were still there to help me. I don’t know what i’ve done without you.” The words left her on an awkward note, but she pushed through her embarrassment. Rapunzel needed to know how much she meant to her.

Cassandra hid her face in Rapunzel’s shoulder during their embrace, her cheeks burning. She glanced over toward the horizon. A group of people were stalking up to them, their faces familiar. Hook Foot and Lance were shuffling toward the camper with their luggage, their discussion over who was going to get the upper bed pulled laughter from her mouth. It was great to see all of them back together.

The king and queen bid Rapunzel farewell and motioned for her to come closer. “Cassandra, we are glad you are joining our daughter on her trip,” the man spoke up. “There isn’t anyone around whom we would like to see more next to Rapunzel than you.”

Eugene gawked at them. “Hey, I'm standing right here, you know.”

The royal pair chuckled. “How could i forget? Aside from Eugene then,” the king answered. Cassandra smiled when he winked at her, his face turned from the other’s view.

“We’re very proud of you, sweetie,” his wife continued.

Cassandra bowed her head. “Thank you, your majesties.”

Her eyes caught sight of her father when she’d finished securing the medallion onto her sweater. The two of them couldn’t help but stare for a couple of seconds, the air heavy with unspoken words. There was no need for small talk. Cassandra fell into his open arms almost immediately, her face pressed into his chest. He held her close, a hand brushing the back of her head like a child. She was going to miss him dearly. “I love you, dad.”

“I love you too, Cassandra. You’re going to do amazing. I just know so.”

She bit her lip to prevent herself from crying. _Again._ It was almost like a force locked her against her father, unwilling to loosen the hold she had on him. If she were to pull back, he might disappear for good. The sorrow from missing him during her captivity was still present in her heart. She wouldn’t be able to see him again for who knows how long but the decision was made by her father himself. Cassandra was forced back by his hands on her shoulders. His thumb brushed a tear from her cheek, his smile kind. “Hey, it’s going to be okay. I’ll be right here when you return.”

She nodded. “I know. I’ll try to send you a letter whenever i can.”

“Don’t. I want to hear all of your stories from yourself when you get back.”

It was a promise. Cassandra knew her father would wait on her. If he were about to make sure he saw her again, she would too. “Alright, I guess i’ll be going then.”

“That’s my girl.”

Eugene bumped a fist against her arm when she walked by. “So, is everyone finished crying? I was starting to think I needed to shed a tear as well.”

“Weren’t you already doing so earlier?”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about!”

She laughed. “I’m sure you don’t.”

“Hey, i’ll have you know-”

“Alright!” Rapunzel intervened. “Let’s keep the bickering for the road.”

Cassandra climbed onto her seat behind Maximus and Fidella, her friends joining her on opposite sides. The road was open and inviting, the sun gleaming just over the mountaintops. The adrenaline she had missed out on for months re-entered her heart, causing her muscles to tighten in an exhilarating way and her blood to pump quicker. Owl hooted from overhead as he flew into the distance. It was a good day, she could just feel so. For a split second, she imagined Andrew standing beside the road, but the image disappeared with one blink from her eyes. He wouldn’t be able to scare her any more. Cassandra finally found rest.

“So, think we’ve got everything with us needed for the journey?” Rapunzel asked after fifteen minutes of driving.

Her hands tightened around the reins. “Shorty! I forgot to check the food cabinet!”

The wagon came to a halt before Eugene jumped from his spot. “On it!” His face fell as soon as the right cabinet opened to reveal a small man surrounded by pieces of bread and sausage. “Shorty!”

The old man hiccuped without a hint of remorse written in his eyes. “What? I need to eat before hibernation. It took me weeks to find this much food!”

She smiled and shook her head, her eyes darting between her friends. “I suppose we need to go back and get more provisions.”

Every person in the wagon groaned. Yeah, it was good to be back.

**The End.**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I just want to thank everyone who's commented and read the story. It's my first multi-chaptered fic and it's been so fun to write but even more so with your support so thank you! I hope i did the story justice with this ending and i hope i've been able to give you guys a little escape from the pandemic and all. Have a great day and God bless!


	10. Fanart!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A chapter dedicated to all the art i've received from Flossy2003. Thanks a lot hon!
> 
> There's one edit from me as well that i've made a few weeks back of Cass' second escape.

Flossy's work:

My edit:


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